4th Sunday of Advent (Year A)
Isaiah 7:10-14 | Psalm 23(24):1-6 | Romans 1:1-7 | Matthew 1:18-24
His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. (Matthew 1:18-19)
Joseph’s action was indeed honourable, as the canonical penalty for Mary’s supposed adultery was death by stoning (Leviticus 20:10).
I’m also reminded of a recent news article on Venezuela’s economic crisis and its impact on poor families. Facing collective death by starvation, some families have made a heart-rending yet (I think) honourable decision to temporarily give away some of their children to neighbours and friends, rather than abandon them on the street or force them into prostitution or criminal activities. Clearly, they hope to be reunited when their situation improves, and they would prefer to have them raised by people they know and trust, who could offer them the hope of a better life in the interim.
✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞
The world often considers “honour” as a sign of weakness, a failure to employ cold logic and take the easy way out:
to not participate in post-riot looting and miss out on all that “free stuff”,
to admit to a costly mistake at work and risk getting fired,
to help a poor stranger whom everyone else treats like a leper.
Joseph chose to swallow his pride and marry a woman who could’ve tarnished his family name through scandal, trusting instead the word of a dream figure.
These poor Venezuelan families chose a painful path that stood the best chance of benefiting all their children and keeping their family intact in the long term, instead of taking the easy way out and sacrificing some for the good of others.
Do we honour our Father in heaven by choosing the honourable path of love in this life?
Or do we walk the way of least resistance for ourselves, without regard for others?
Lord, as we await Your coming to us as a new-born babe, help us remember that You saw from the beginning Your road to suffering and death on the cross, yet chose to walk that path for the sake of us all. Share with us a portion of that ever-loving will to make necessary sacrifices for the good of all, so that our words and deeds in concert may give honour and glory to You and to our heavenly Father. Amen.
O come, O come, thou Lord of Might
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times did give the law
In cloud, and majesty, and aweRejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel