Reflection for December 18 Thursday of the Third Week of Advent: Matthew 1:18-25

Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.  

Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.  When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a son and he named him Jesus.

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Reflection:

Do We Always Follow the Will of the Lord?

When Joseph learned that Mary was already pregnant, he resolved to divorce her quietly. Yet in the silence of the night, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and intervened, telling him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, for the child in her womb was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Upon waking, Joseph obeyed what the angel had told him. He set aside his fears, his plans, and his own understanding. He stayed with Mary, protected her, and ensured that she received the greatest love and care she could ever have. Such is Saint Joseph—righteous, humble, docile, and obedient to the will of the Lord.

In our time, when the Sacrament of Matrimony is often diminished by some and treated by many as a mere paper contract, Saint Joseph gently but firmly reminds us of its sacredness. He reminds us that marriage is not something we enter lightly, nor something we abandon when trials arise. He reminds us that marriage is not merely a legal agreement but a holy covenant—one that binds the couple to each other and to Jesus Christ.

As we reflect on the life of Saint Joseph, we are invited to examine ourselves. How do we value the Sacrament of Marriage? How faithful are we to the vows we have made or the vocation we are discerning? Are we willing, like Saint Joseph, to love deeply, to sacrifice quietly, and to surrender our own will so that God’s will may be fulfilled in our lives?

Saint Joseph teaches us that true love listens, trusts, and obeys—even when the path is unclear and the cost is great. He challenges us to place God at the center of our relationships and to remain faithful, not only in moments of joy, but also in times of confusion and testing.

As we pray and reflect today, let us ask ourselves honestly and courageously:

Do we truly seek and follow the will of the Lord in our marriage, our family life, and our daily choices—even when it asks us to surrender what we desire most? — Marino J. Dasmarinas