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Friends,
We’re another week closer to Christmas – another week closer to recalling and celebrating the birth of our Savior into the world. This Sunday is the Fourth (and last!) Sunday of Advent. We’ll light the final candle in our Advent wreaths and all four flames will be our reminder of the peace and light that the Lord brings into our lives.
The Gospel at Mass this Sunday focuses on Joseph and his role in the Christmas story. Joseph was engaged to Mary but remember that Mary was visited by an angel of the Lord. The angel Gabriel told Mary of God’s plan to be born into the world to redeem it. When Mary said yes, she became pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit, according to God’s miraculous plan.
Imagine Joseph’s position. He’s engaged to Mary but all of the sudden she’s pregnant. She tells him all about the angel’s visit and all about God’s plan of salvation. But still he must have been confused and maybe even frustrated. But the Scriptures tell us that Joseph was a good man and he didn’t want to shame her, so he was planning to quietly break off the engagement and move on.
In a dream, Joseph experiences a message from an angel of the Lord. The angel calls Joseph by name and reassures him: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Pay attention to how this message begins: “do not be afraid.”
Joseph had his own plan for how his life was going to go. He had his own expectations for how his engagement and marriage would go. And when his plans all seemed to fall apart, he still had his own plan for how to move on. Doing it his way – quietly divorcing Mary and moving on to his ordinary life – was the easy, logical, and maybe even helpful solution! But God had something greater in mind for Joseph. God was calling Joseph to take an active role in the salvation of the world. God’s plan was a lot scarier and more complicated than just ending the engagement and moving on. But God’s plan was also far better.
Do you see any parallels between your story and Joseph’s story? Have you ever felt called to do something out of your comfort zone? Like try out for a team or audition for the musical or become a retreat leader? Or maybe you felt called to start a relationship or to end one. Or maybe you felt compelled to call someone out for something harmful they said.
Sometimes it’s easier to just let our lives and routines stay where they are. We don’t want to rock the boat. We want to stay in our comfort zones. But like Joseph, God is calling all of us – God is calling YOU (yes… YOU) – to take an active role in the story of salvation.
The story of Christ’s birth is not a fairy tale or a fictional story like A Christmas Carol or Elf or National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. No, the nativity story is a TRUE story. And it’s a true story that involves ALL of us. God didn’t choose to be born in the world just because He felt like it. Jesus was born to be Emmanuel – “God-is-with-us” – to share our joys, hopes, disappointments, sorrows, pain, suffering, laughter…
What is your role in the Christmas story? What’s your part in God’s great story of salvation? God wants you to experience salvation and to share it with others. Will you be like Joseph and choose to reject fear and complacency? Will you say yes to the great adventure of following Jesus?
God is calling you to something greater this Christmas. How will you respond?
More in this newsletter:
- Please RSVP for the Christmas Movie Night!
- Camp Hope Holiday Party
- A look ahead to 2023 . . .
In Christ,
Chase Hawkins
Director of Youth Ministry
847-582-2503
chawkins@churchofstmary.org
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