As we quickly move closer to the day of Christ\u2019s birth, the gospel of Matthew brings us gently back to the attitude which makes grace possible. Overarching Mary and Joseph\u2019s reception of the news that ultimately made Christ\u2019s coming unto them possible is a gentle attitude of docility to God\u2019s word and a fearlessness in allowing it to change their lives, even when they did not know what the future might look like. In St. Joseph\u2019s dream, the angel message of \u201cdo not be afraid to take Mary as your wife\u201d was immediately answered by Joseph\u2019s action: \u201cwhen Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reflecting on St. Joseph in relation to my own life, I\u2019m confronted with the dual reality of challenge and comfort that comes from saying yes to the will of God. On the one hand, receiving knowledge of God\u2019s will invokes fear. Even just to quiet one\u2019s own will, busyness, and distractions that give a more shallow gratification so that we are actually in a position to be able to hear and respond to God\u2019s will takes a great amount of courage and intentionality. God understands this interior struggle in being open to him, and just as through his angel he told Joseph to not be afraid, so he is waiting to calm us as well when we turn to him with sincere love and willingness to let ourselves go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the Christmas story which we are looking towards can remind us, a death-to-self similar to the Blessed Virgin\u2019s and St. Joseph\u2019s is rewarded with the grace of being filled with God\u2019s infinite love. Every Christian life must have this death at its center, just as every Christian will arrive at a greater life in Christ which can be accomplished by his will triumphing in our lives. Through him, all the every-day challenges and anxieties in our lives can be transformed into life-giving gifts which can bring us ever closer to unity with the will of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we move towards Christmas, may we pray for the grace to quiet ourselves so that we are open to receiving the blessings of peace, joy, and love which find their fulfillment in Christ our Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marc Berube<\/strong> \u2013 St. Joseph Seminary, Edmonton, Alberta.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 4th Sunday of Advent<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2163,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,17,18],"tags":[53,44,208],"class_list":["post-2722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-strona-glowna-najnowsze","category-strona-glowna-slider","tag-christ","tag-god","tag-mary"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n