First Sunday after Christmas Day, December 29th, 2019

First Sunday after Christmas Day, December 29th, 2019

As I have said before . . . . but I will continue to say it because it is so true . . . . it is extremely difficult for us to know what it was like for the first Apostles and those in the early Church.  This is because we ourselves know how the story ends, so to speak.  We have the benefit of knowing about all of these events and miracles and happenings for some two-thousand years now.   That being said, it is difficult for us to understand completely the emotions  . . .  fear . . .  anxiety . . .  anxiousness . . .  confusion . . . . it is hard for us to walk in their shoes and know exactly what was going through their mind.  But try we must because in so doing the faithfulness of these early figures in the life of Our Blessed Saviour shows through wonderfully.  St Joseph is one person who comes to mind.  It benefits us to learn from the example of St. Joseph because his faithfulness is indeed legendary.  In essence, God chose St. Joseph and Our Lady to be the earthly parents of the Son of God.  Imagine the privilege  . . . . the responsibility  . . . . the heavy burden  . .   .  which they both willingly undertook.   Now keep in mind I said that they undertook.  I did not say that they understood how all of these events took place or were going to take place.  Both St. Joseph and Our Lady clearly did not understand why any of these events were happening.  They did not understand how they were to take place.  They did not even know why in the world were they chosen by the Almighty.  And yet despite all of these reasons, they still chose to say "Yes" to God.  

Let us look specifically at St. Joseph.  First, prior to the angel explaining all of these things, he still wanted to do the right thing so that Mary would not be hurt.  Again, it is difficult for us to imagine what it was like for St. Joseph because we have the benefit of knowing what is going to happen and yet for St. Joseph, he did not have that benefit.  With him he saw that his intended bride was pregnant.  And as a result he was trying to figure out who the father was because he knew it was not him.  He could not understand why Mary would do this, first of all.  Second, now that he found out, now he wanted to know what was going to happen next?  "Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily"  (St. Matthew 1:19)   In other words, despite his confusion, his hurt, his not understanding why Mary would do this to him, etc.  Despite all of these emotions, he still did not want Mary to be hurt.  This shows St. Joseph was a good man to begin with.  Are there times we are wronged by another person and all we do is think about revenge?   It is certainly not easy to do but God wants us to take the "high road."   St. Joseph took the "high road."  Despite what he knew in his mind  . . .  which he later found out was wrong . . . . he still did not want harm to come to Mary despite what he thought in his head.

The second thing we need to remember about St. Joseph is that he was willing to listen to God.   "But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."  (St. Matthew 1:20-21)  Yes, the angel appeared to him and St. Joseph listened.  But doesn't God speak to all of us?  Doesn't the Good Lord try to communicate with all of us?  God speaks to us when we read the Bible.  God communicates with us when we pray.  God even uses other people to speak to us.  The truth of the matter is that most people are too busy listening to the world.  Most folks are too busy listening to themselves, for that matter.  Most of the world just does what they want to do and they forget about doing what God wants them to do.  St. Joseph had everything figured out, didn't he?  He knew what he was going to do until the angel intervened.  And then St. Joseph stopped what he was planning to do and listened to God and did God's will.  And the rest is history.    

St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican Church worships each and every Sunday at 9:30 AM.  Please take time to join us as we gather together to worship Our Heavenly Father as a family.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.