"Love follows knowledge."
"Beauty above all beauty!"
– St. Catherine of Siena

Sunday, December 18, 2022

Sunday Meditation: The Virgin Shall Conceive and Bear A Son

An angel comes to Joseph to tell him.

 

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.

When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,

but before they lived together,

she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.

Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,

yet unwilling to expose her to shame,

decided to divorce her quietly.

Such was his intention when, behold,

the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,

"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."

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means "God is with us."

When Joseph awoke,

he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him

and took his wife into his home.

~Mt 1:18-24

 

Bishop Barron gives a superb homily tying together the three readings. 

 


One further connection that Bishop Barron doesn’t quite get to: “When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.”  Joseph was obedient. 

Under the same circumstances?  Would you have been obedient?  Would I?




No comments:

Post a Comment