Counting the Days: December 16, 2024
Charles Gaffney ’25
Computer Science & Mathematics
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 fulfil 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.
Reflection
We all have seen the stories, maybe lived it ourselves, where a character is excited for the future only to have that interrupted by something unexpected. Here, Joseph is ready to begin a life with Mary, only to find out she is pregnant! In situations like this, we all have two choices; react with grace and patience, or with anger and disdain. Joseph chose to act with grace and patience even though he didn’t yet understand what had transpired.
But as often with our own lives, his life didn’t stop there. That is not the end of this story. Instead of his hopes being crushed, Joseph soon gets confirmation from God: YES! Go ahead and marry Mary “for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”
Not only is it just okay for him to marry her, but prophecy is being fulfilled before his very eyes. This child is the promised One who would save his people from their sins and is, in fact, Emmanuel, which means God with us.
Sometimes, something completely halts our plans, only for something even better to come along. Joseph could not possibly have known the outcome of what was about to happen when he first got the news that Mary was pregnant. But he continued to pursue God even though it resulted in their being considered public outcasts for Mary was already pregnant.
Joseph must have wondered, “Will this affect Joseph’s carpentry business? How will people view Mary and me?” Still, Joseph continued to obey God.
Later in Romans 8:28 we read, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Joseph loved God, and all things did work together for good as this son was the Son of God, Jesus; the One prophesied to come, the One to save his people from their sins, and the One to be called Emmanuel, “God with us”.
We may not know where our decisions will lead us or what the future may hold, but we do know that if we continue to love God, all things will work together for our good and His glory. Even when we can’t see that outcome, we can trust in God, following the example of those to whom God gave the prophecies that foretold of Jesus and his birth.