3rd Week of Advent, Saturday – 18th December 2021 — Gospel: Mt 1,18-24
Step-out Crisis through Obedience
Matthew’s story of the birth of Jesus does not read like a report. It gives us no indication about where and when Jesus was born. Because the purpose of the narrative is theological and not historical. This information about Jesus’ birth will be given to us later at the start of the next story (Mt 2,1). The present story is set within the frame of a dream to Joseph which parallels two other dreams he has (2,13-15; 2,19-21). These dreams follow the pattern of the OT ‘message dreams’ through which God communicates with people to direct the course of history (Gen 20,3; 31,24; 46,2-4). Here Matthew wishes to communicate two truths: 1) Jesus is conceived virginally through the action of God, as the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isa 7,14; 2) He is adopted by Joseph as his son, and so becomes part of the family of David. However, both Mary and Joseph play a most significant role in the birth of Jesus in Matthew. Both underwent a moment of crisis, while it was implicit for Mary, for Joseph it was explicit. On the one hand, Mary was asked to accept the challenge of having a child born through her without a natural father. On the other hand, Joseph was commanded to accept the voice of God and carry out what was asked of him. Indeed, both were obedient to God’s direction. Joseph’s obedience allows Jesus to be adopted as the true Son of David. Mary’s role allows Jesus, Son of God to be born through her.
