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Wednesday, December 14, 2016

1Reflection for Sunday December 18, 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:
Why can’t husbands be faithful to their wives? I can only surmise that it’s the lack of sufficient moral and spiritual groundings. I think it’s also the husband’s intentional forgetfulness of their Marriage vows which states: “To have and to hold, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health till death do us part.”

In contrast to the philandering husbands of today is Joseph the faithful, righteous and obedient husband of Mary. When Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant before they lived together he decided to divorce her quietly so that she would not be exposed to shame, humiliation and severe punishment.

 It was Joseph’s intention to divorce Mary but the angel of the Lord intervened 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.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife into his home.

In the Sacrament of Matrimony the husband is also being told by God thru the  Marriage vows, thru the Sacramental blessing of the Priest which officiates through the person of Jesus and thru his wedding ring that he must be faithful to his wife not only for a month, not only for a year but for the rest of his life!
  
In the gospel we see Joseph’s humble submission to the will of God. He obediently followed what God said thru an angel; he therefore brought Mary to his home and took care of her for the rest of his life. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

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