Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Daily HOMILY for December 22, 2016: 4th Sunday of Advent, Cycle A


PODCAST - Press sideways triangle below to listen

4th Sunday of Advent, Cycle A
December 22, 2016
Terranova Hermitage

 

Joseph, a Model for Our Living
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato

 

 

My Sleeping on a Homily


Often enough, probably once a month, I find it difficult to get the idea for my Sunday homily.

I work on the readings early in the week.  I ask myself: what are these passages, especially the gospel, saying to me and to us?

Sometimes it just doesn’t get clear to me.  And then what I do is re-read the Scripture passages and some commentaries before going to bed, maybe on Wednesday evening.

I just sleep on it.  And then, almost always, I wake up in the morning and it’s clear.

I am suddenly clear on the theme and I start forming the homily.  Sleeping on it has a way of helping me to see it as I had not seen it before.

Joseph Sleeping on His Dilemma

I wonder if what happens to Joseph in today’s gospel is something like this.

Joseph and Mary are betrothed.  In that culture, this was much more than engagement.

Betrothal meant that they were married but not yet living together.  In fact, betrothal could only be ended by divorce.

Joseph comes to know that Mary is bearing a child and he knows that the child is not his.  The law calls for Mary to be publicly shamed and punished.

But Joseph doesn’t want to see this happen.  So, he decides to divorce Mary quietly, without any accusation against her.

Still something tells Joseph to take time with his decision.  So he decides to sleep on it and see what he thinks in the morning.

He wakes up and now things look different and clear to him.  Something within him tells him to trust Mary.

Joseph actually feels that God is calming him and telling him to go ahead with the marriage.  And that is what he does.

Joseph Responds

Joseph is a great example for us here.

He doesn’t just react out of anger or hurt or pride.  He doesn’t react hastily.

Instead, Joseph takes time to be with the situation and take it inside himself.  He gets in touch with what God is saying within him.

He deals with the situation and does not avoid it.  He is decisive and not rash.

He is reflective, deliberative, and not reactive.  And, of course, the result is wonderful.

Joseph cooperates in binging God’s Son into the world.  What a wonderful example Joseph is for us in how he does this.

I have to ask: how much more of God’s presence and peace can enter our world if we respond to situations as Joseph does?  Step back – think – pray – sleep on it – get in touch with what God wants – what a helpful, positive process this is!

Joseph Respects

Joseph shows one more trait that I don’t want us to miss.

Joseph is a religious man and respects the religious law.  That law tells him to divorce Mary.

But, he decides to do this quietly.  Why?

Because he doesn’t want to expose Mary to shame and disgrace.  So, he is going to live up to his faith and his principles, but in a way that is not self-righteous and not destructive of Mary.

Well again, what a good example Joseph is for us!  Sometimes, in the world of religion, in Christianity, we think that we have to “stand up” for what we believe.

And sometimes, unfortunately, this “standing up” means a “putting down.”  Sometimes we equate “standing up” for something we believe is right with “putting down” others whom we think are wrong.

This is such an unfortunate approach.  It is not the way of Joseph or of Jesus.

Conclusion

It is not the way that Pope Francis is modeling and calling us to embrace.  Joseph’s example today, even in his original way of dealing with the situation, is a great example of being able to “stand up” for something and of respecting the other person at the same time.  

This is a helpful example in dealing with situations in our families.  It is helpful for us as persons or for our Church in dealing with issues in our society today.


It is, I believe, the way to bring God’s presence and peace much more effectively into our world.  That is the lesson of Joseph.

No comments:

Post a Comment