3!!!

Today we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent. In this week's Gospel, we read an account of the birth of Jesus from Matthew. The interesting thing about this telling of the story is that it focuses on Joseph.

We've heard the Christmas story so many times we tend to gloss over the details, most assuredly the ones about the quiet, ordinary man who was just planning a simple married life. Then suddenly, out of nowhere comes life-altering, earth-shaking news. The woman he loves and trusts is pregnant and has quite the story to tell about it. Without the benefit of hindsight, you can imagine Joseph did not take the news with great joy and excitement.

Consider the implications from his side. Small town gossip is not a new thing. Accepting Mary would likely sentence him to a life-time of eye-rolling and jokes. Add to this the heartache he must have felt believing the person he loved had betrayed him. You can see why he might opt for a quiet escape. Lucky for us, the story doesn't end here.

Joseph experienced his own Annunciation. An angel appeared in a dream and filled him in on the divine plan. Once again we are awed by a miracle . . . . Joseph said yes, too!

As we head into this final week of Advent, here are a few lessons we can take away from Joseph's story.

1. Joseph was a model of trust. He was willing to change the entire course of his life based on the words of an angel. Now that's faith! Trust and faith are things we struggle with in our world today. There are certainly many examples to prove us right in our doubt. But trusting in God also means opening ourselves to one another. After all, it's hard to love someone you don't trust. 

Here are a few small ways to work on building trust and faith in your everyday life:
• ask God daily for an open heart
• open yourself and share your feelings with a family member or trusted friend
• be willing to delegate the holiday work. 

2. Joseph was a model of obedience and humility. He was willing to follow God even if it meant letting go of his own beliefs about what his life should be. 

Here are some ways to think about obedience and humility in your life:
• focus on being loving, not on being right
• allow yourself to accept help
• delegate and then let go
• ask someone how you can be of help to them and then follow through
• don't commit to more than you are capable of doing with a loving heart and a positive attitude. 

3. Joseph was a model of courage and perseverance. He took a risk and faced uncertain challenges willingly.  

Here are some ideas for living courageously and persisting:
• face a problem you've been avoiding
• apologize to someone you have hurt
• try again to connect with a family member or long lost friend
• talk with someone about your faith. 

4. Joseph was a model of compassion and care. He made his family the center of his life. 

Here are some thoughts on how you might be compassionate and caring:
• do something unexpected for a friend or family member
• smile at store clerks and thank them for their work
• turn off the car radio and talk to the people you are driving
• have breakfast with a family member
• ask someone how they are and really listen to their answer.

Think about Joseph as you go through your day. Consider what other lessons this quiet figure might be waiting to share with you.