Mt 1,18-24.
Matthew’s story of the birth of Jesus is very different from Luke’s, with which we are more familiar especially from its use as the gospel at Christmas Midnight Mass.
Matthew immediately identifies Jesus Christ as Saviour and Messiah – the fulfilment of the long-standing Jewish hopes for a Messiah. Betrothal consisted of the groom- to-be, receiving the marriage consent of the bride- to-be, before two witnesses. Once betrothed, they were considered as husband and wife, but marital rights were not exercised until they were formally married at the end of the year of betrothal. Hence, Joseph’s embarrassment at finding that Mary was pregnant before they came to live together as husband and wife. We can imagine the suspicion and misunderstanding Mary and Joseph would have encountered in their local community as a result of Mary’s being pregnant before they had come to live together. There would inevitably be gossip, innuendo, character assassination, not to mention the knowing nods and winks of the reputedly pious folk, whose delicate sensibilities would have been offended by what they were witnessing. The appearance of the angel in a dream explains the situation for Joseph, but probably elicits new apprehensions in him. The dream is reminiscent of Joseph the dreamer in the Book of Genesis. (Gen 37,5f).
Mary is pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit and chosen by God to be mother of Jesus who will save his people from their sins. For his Jewish readers and for us, Mt explains how all that is happening in this wonderful moment is the fulfilment of a venerable Isaiah prophecy, (Is. 7,14), which predicted that a virgin would give birth to a son called Emmanuel – God is with us. In this birth Jewish expectations will be fulfilled. God will be with his people. In the Catholic tradition we believe that Mary remained a virgin all her life because of her unique calling to be Mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Joseph being an upright, God-fearing man did everything the angel commanded. He took his wife to his home, abstained for marital relations, and named the child Jesus, when he was born.
Advent is a time when “we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ.” As Matthew reminds Joseph, Jesus came to be our Saviour, to rescue us from our sins and all we need saving from: sin, helplessness, hopelessness, despair, disappointment, failure, loss of faith in God, the Church, or ourselves.
Jesus is our Emmanuel, God with us always, as our saviour, friend, protector, healer, and forgiver. The Emmanuel theme will recur twice more in Matthew’s gospel (18,20; 28,20). Jesus is with us when we pray together in his name and when we witness to him. We meet/encounter him in each of the Sacraments. In Advent we could focus particularly on the Sacrament of Reconciliation in which we receive the forgiveness and healing Christ our Saviour came to bring us that first Christmas.
It would be most appropriate, in this last week of Advent, to ask Mary the mother of Jesus to show us how best to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of her son Jesus, this Christmas.