Monday after Rorate coeli, The Fourth Sunday in Advent
Posted on December 23, 2019 by under
Scripture: St. Matthew 1:18-25 (NKJV)
1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
Devotion
St. Matthew records for us that the Virgin Mary was “found with child.” In the eyes and mind of St. Joseph this was a sin that forbade him from remaining betrothed to Mary. He could have easily brought this sin out into the light of the public square, where Mary would have been stoned to death as the law required for those caught in adultery. But Joseph is a “just man.” We are told exactly what that means by St. Matthew. He did not want Mary to be publicly shamed, but resolved to divorce her secretly. In short, he covered over her apparent sin.
Joseph is told in a dream the facts of the case. The Child she carries was conceived of the Holy Ghost, and He will save His people from their sin. Joseph would be the guardian father of the Lord Jesus. His actions with Mary reveal that he is the best earthly father the Son of God could have. For Joseph does exactly what our Lord Jesus does for us—He covers over our sins.
The Lord Jesus in His righteousness does not want us to bear the burden of our sins. Therefore, He comes down from Heaven, humbles Himself to be born into our flesh, and fulfills the Law that we are guilty of breaking daily. Furthermore, He endures the punishment of death that we deserve, so that we—the Church—might be His Bride, and He takes us into His heavenly home to dwell with Him for all eternity.
We pray: Stir up, O Lord, we beseech Thee, Thy power, and come and help us with Thy great might, that by Thy grace whatsoever is hindered by our sins may be speedily accomplished through Thy mercy and satisfaction; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
