Weekly HOMILY for December 22, 2013: 4th Sunday of Advent, Cycle A -- Joseph: Asleep and Faithful

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4^th Sunday of Advent, Cycle A

Terranuova Hermitage

 December 22, 2013

Joseph: Asleep and Faithful

By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato

My Sleeping on a Homily

Often enough, probably once a month, I find it difficult to get the focus 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 any commentaries I have read on them 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.

It is suddenly clear what I want, or rather what God wants me to focus on 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 and of making it all clear to me.

Joseph Sleeping on His Dilemma

I wonder if his is something like what happens to Joseph in today’s Gospel.

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 still has feelings for Mary.  So, he decides to divorce her quietly, without any accusation against her.

But 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 trust and go ahead with the marriage.  And that is what he does.

Joseph Responds

Joseph is a great example for us here.

Joseph doesn’t just react out of anger and hurt and 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 bringing 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 good, positive, helpful process this is!

Joseph Respects

Joseph shows one more trait here 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, the passage says that, at first, 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 is 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.

I think this is an unfortunate religious approach.  It is not the way of Joseph or of Jesus.

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 us as a Church in dealing with some issues in our society and culture today.

Conclusion

Joseph, a great model for what it means to know God’s will and to bring God’s presence and peace much more effectively into our world today.