Daily Prayer

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

The Birth of Jesus the Messiah

¹⁸ This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.¹⁹ Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.²⁰ As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.²¹ And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”²² All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: ²³ “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” ²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.²⁵ But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Matt 1:18-25 (NLT)

And so the story begins, but not as a sweet comforting tale. It begins as a scandal. Decent and faithful couple. In love. Engaged, and not yet married. And then ... and then a pregnancy.

The gossip must have spread like wildfire. The chattering of the news, behind closed doors at night, and in the marketplace at noon. “Were you aware?” “Did you hear about Mary; the girl engaged to that carpenter Joseph?” “Can you believe it?” "What a tragedy!" “What will that poor Joseph do?”

Joseph: Confused. Embarrassed. Ashamed. Angry? But so very much in love. “How could this be?” “What do I do now?”  “To whom can I turn?” How do I end this without hurting her?” “Can I?” “Should I?” Tired. Worn out. “I need some rest – some comfort – some sleep – if only I could.”

Exhaustion, and a dream. A voice as real as his breathing, and as the beat of his heart:

“Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.²¹ And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Despite the talk and pointing fingers. Despite the shattering of customs. Despite the disgrace of it all; a bride was taken. A family was formed, with questioning hearts that were now filled with hope. Hope for a healthy son. Hope for a different future. Hope that something good would rise up out of the ashes of their humiliation. A hope for the world. 

Waiting and hoping for the One whom would be named:

"Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

Rev. Michael Kirchhoff