Advent and Christmas - Week 04a
Fourth Sunday of Advent
(From Conversation with God, Fernandez Carvajal)To think about the life of Saint Joseph is to discover a life full of joys and sorrows. The Lord teaches us through the life of the Holy Patriarch that true happiness is never far from the Cross. If we bear suffering and trial with supernatural spirit, we will soon be rewarded with clarity and peace. With Christ at our side, sorrows turn into joys.
The Gospel relates the first sorrow and first joy of the Holy Patriarch. When Mary his mother had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. Joseph was well aware of the holiness of his spouse, even though he could not understand the evident fact of her maternity. He was deeply perplexed. He loved Mary with a pure and deep human love. Yet he felt obliged by his upright conscience to follow the Mosaic Law in this regrettable situation. In order to protect Mary from public shame, Joseph decided to put her aside privately. This was a most painful test for both Joseph and Mary.
Just as his sorrow was great, so was Joseph's joy immeasurable when at last he was shown the ways of God's Providence. But while he thought on these things. These were the things that he could not hope to fathom, that he was unable to share with anyone. In the midst of this trial Joseph was visited by an angel who said: Do not be afraid, Joseph, son of David, to take to thee Mary thy wife, for that which is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit. All of Joseph's doubts vanished at once. Everything had become clear. His soul had become filled with God's peace. He now understood that he was the recipient of two incredible treasures, Jesus and Mary. He had been given for his wife the Mother of God. He had been given for a son the Son of God. Joseph had become a different person: he became a unique guardian of the mystery hidden for ages in God.
We can learn from Joseph that the Lord will always enlighten those who seek him with a clean heart God's light can shine through the most perplexing situations imaginable. How often does it happen that we fail to grasp the meaning of God's plans, the 'why' behind different circumstances and events. If we take care to trust in the Lord, we will come to appreciate his divine wisdom. With that realization we will discover a deep sense of peace and joy in our soul.