Mary and Joseph are models of people who had to move beyond any fear they had. They did this through their faith.
Perspective
With Christmas upon us, many of us have been excited about this time of year. It gives us a chance to dial it down a bit. It gives us a chance to be with family and friends. We can be comforted by some of the traditions. We can also be confronted with those things that are not going so well in our lives or perhaps the people who are no longer in our lives.
Christmas can also remind you what faith can do when you live with a God-centered view. We only have to look toward the Holy Family to see what remarkable faith can affect.
It is probably easier for most men to relate to Joseph. After all, he was a man, and since he showed us what manning up looked like, we probably got him. But what about Mary? Talk about being put in a situation by God and having to handle yourself through it.
Mary, a very young woman, a virgin, is told the Holy Spirit is going to impregnate her with the son of God essentially. Come again? A young virgin has to receive this message, process it, and deal with it. Her circumstances are clear. She is young, has not been with another man, and is to marry a guy named Joseph. Plus, she is with a child BEFORE they are getting married! Wouldn’t we freak out about that?
Joseph, who has this young woman to be his, is pure, but he now has to handle that she isn’t. What? But this very noble man will still find a way not to shame her and break things off. That was his plan. But God shows up and clarifies that Joseph needs to adapt to God’s plan. Joseph has to hear, process, and act following the message—with the pressure of his feelings and what the world might say about what they see. Talk about a stressful situation! However, his faith makes it possible.
Isn’t that it, though? The world sees what it sees. The people around us know what they see and respond to how they would do it based on what they see. They like to say things based on what they know, but we both know they know very little. Yet, people want to make sure we get their view of what we should do. Amazing, right? Ticks me off at times.
In the story of Mary and Joseph, we find out that God spoke to them independently. God trusted Mary and Joseph to handle the messages and embrace what He needed them to do. Fundamentally, He chose those two to be the parents of Jesus. To protect the infant Jesus, to raise and love Jesus, and, in Mary’s case, to eventually see the resurrected Jesus.
What an incredible example of moving beyond the fear Mary and Joseph displayed. Each, in their faith, their way, and their embracing of God. They had a common purpose. That purpose was to honor and worship God in the context of the mission that God gave them. It is not unlike ours. We are called to move beyond our fear. To move towards God and make the sacrifice that it brings. Trust in the result despite what might be happening at the moment. Move beyond what the world tries to tell us because it doesn’t know what we know. We know that the God who lives inside us via the Holy Spirit is guiding us, shaping us, and helping us live out the purpose He needs for us to live. That living for God and not ourselves is the way to a peaceful and more joyous life. We want a life that makes a difference in a world that needs difference-makers and helps show others a model, like the Holy Family, of what faith looks like.
Have a joyous and Merry Christmas. Who knows. Another one of these might be in your stocking in the morning as well.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for this view of how we should be living. Thank you to Mary and Joseph for their sacrifice so we could worship and love Jesus. Guide us with that story to move past our fear when we are confused, concerned about what others might think, or simply afraid to take that next step in the journey. Moving and living in faith is what we should and try to do. Father, keep us ignited by the Holy Spirit so that we might be as faithful as Mary and Joseph and live out the purpose and mission you have for us. Our reward is nothing more than knowing we live according to your will and plan. Please keep us, our families, and our friends safe. We pray all this in the name of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
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