Joseph, As a God-fearing Jew.

God assures Him in a dream. He is God's choice.

The Messiah, we were told yesterday is from the family tree of Jacob. Joseph was from the family tree of David.’

Joseph comes from the line of David who belongs to the tribe of Judah.

“Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.”

The reading closes with attention on Joseph (1:24-25). He takes Mary into his home as his wife,

and then, after the child is born, he names the child “Jesus”

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

Jeremiah 23:5-8 

Yahweh further says,

"The day is coming when I will raise up a king who is David's righteous successor. He will rule wisely and govern with justice and righteousness. That will be a grandiose era when Judah will enjoy peace and Israel will live in safety. He will be called Yahweh-our-justice!" "The days are coming," says Yahweh, "when people shall no longer swear by Yahweh as the living God who freed the people of Israel from the land of Egypt. Rather, they will swear by Yahweh as the living God who restored the descendants of Israel from the northern empire and from all the lands where he had driven them, to live again in their own land!"

 

Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19 Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Gospel:  Matthew 1:18-25

This is how Jesus Christ was born. Mary, his mother, had been given to Joseph in marriage but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her husband, made plans to divorce her in all secrecy. He was an upright man, and in no way did he want to discredit her. While he was pondering over this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She has conceived by the Holy Spirit, and now she will bear a son. You shall call him 'Jesus' for he will save his people from their sins."

 

All this happened in order to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and he will be called Emmanuel which means: God- with-us. When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do and he took his wife to his home. He did not have any marital relations with her. When she gave birth to a son, Joseph gave him the name of Jesus.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

 

"Joseph is faithful to the covenant." 

In these final days of Advent, we turn our attention from the coming of the Lord and his kingdom at the end of time to his coming to earth as a human being in his birth in Bethlehem. Our readings look at the events leading up to Jesus' birth. Today we hear the story of the angel's announcement to Joseph in a dream.

 

In a few short verses, Matthew tells us everything we need to know about Joseph so that he can serve as a model for our own discipleship. Joseph is faithful to the covenant, following God's Law and living justly. He is kind, desiring to protect Mary's reputation and save her from shame. Joseph is attentive to the Lord, listening for his word.

 

Joseph is a man of action, following the angel's instructions without delay, selflessly accepting Mary and Jesus into his home with love and compassion. May we, like Joseph, strive to be righteous, faithful, kind, attentive, and compassionate so that we can make Christ a home in our hearts.