Reflection for Sunday December 21 Fourth Sunday of Advent: Matthew 1:18-24

Gospel: Matthew 1:18-24

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 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 conceive 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 commanded him, and took his wife into his home.

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Reflection:

What would we do if we were in the predicament of Saint Joseph? Would we listen to the angel of God, or would we loudly protest the injustice done to our honor and refuse to listen any longer?

It is safe to say that many of us would struggle. We would likely feel wounded and insulted in our dignity. Imagine discovering that the child being carried in the womb of your wife was not biologically yours. Such a revelation would shake us to the core. For a time, Joseph, too, quietly wrestled with God’s plan. Yet God did not abandon him. Through an angel sent in a dream, God spoke—and Joseph allowed himself to be guided. From that moment on, he raised no complaints. He humbly listened, trusted, and obeyed.

In Saint Joseph, we see a rational and deeply human man—one who sought to understand what was happening in his life. He did not act rashly, nor did he allow anger to rule his heart. But once God’s will was revealed to him—that he would be part of God’s saving plan for humanity—Joseph asked no further questions. He surrendered. He obeyed quietly, faithfully, and completely.

What does this say about us? We, too, have our own plans—plans for success, stability, and the welfare of our families. We work hard, we dream, and we hope. Yet there are moments when our plans collapse despite our best efforts. It is precisely in these moments of disappointment and confusion that we are invited to trust more deeply. God has a plan for us, and often it is very different from the one we imagined. We may not fully understand His ways now, but we can be certain that His plan is always for our good.

We often hear it said that when God closes a door in our life, He opens a window. For Saint Joseph, the door that closed was his plan to become a biological father. But the window that opened was far greater: he became the foster father of Jesus. He became a crucial participant in God’s plan of salvation. Through his obedience, he protected the Blessed Mother from condemnation, ridicule, and even the brutal punishment of stoning. Through his silent faithfulness, God’s saving work moved forward.

So when the road ahead seems hazy, dark, and filled with uncertainty, let us be patient. Let us continue to move forward quietly and faithfully. Let us learn from Saint Joseph—humble, obedient, silent, uncomplaining, and always attentive to the voice of God. God has a plan for each of us. Even when it is unclear, even when it asks for sacrifice, we can trust that it leads to life.

The question is this: when God’s plan challenges our own—when it disrupts our expectations and calls us beyond our comfort—will we, like Saint Joseph, choose to trust, to listen, and to obey?- Marino J. Dasmarinas