Tuesday, December 24, 2024  

Today's Scripture
Matthew 1:18–25

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. (NRSV)

Reflection

I love Joseph for both of his decisions about Mary. First, he decides to protect her from public humiliation and harm, and then he decides to trust her. Granted, on that second part he had some help from an angel of God speaking to him in a dream. But even there, he had to trust himself to be perceiving and understanding correctly.

Joseph is called righteous in this scripture, and it strikes me that his righteousness is based on compassion, trust, and a sense of miraculous possibility. He honors Mary by valuing her safety and dignity more than social norms. It is a visionary righteousness grounded in respect for human flourishing.

I believe that God does speak to us through our inklings. We have an inkling, an intuition, a tug at our hearts, an idea that is just below consciousness. But it will slowly rise up into consciousness if we allow ourselves to grow still and quiet. For Joseph, it happened in a dream.

One commentator calls this a vision story, not a virgin story (Susan R. Andrews, in her pastoral commentary on this text in Feasting on the Gospels: Matthew). She describes Joseph as a “dreamer — a righteous man who trusts relationships rather than rules — an obedient man who responds to dreams rather than to demands.” I love that. May we each live into that kind of righteousness.

Prayer
God of miracles and possibilities, here on the eve of Christmas Day we give thanks for the dreams and relationships you give us. Emmanuel, God with us, thank you for the incarnation, for showing us the holiness of human existence by entering into it with us. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Amen.

Written by Nanette Sawyer, Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Small Group Ministry

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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