December 2016

Joseph was a man of deep faith who listened to the voice of God. He struggled to make sense of the message that Mary had given him. Sometimes Joseph heard God speak to him through his dreams, at other times in a moment of quiet prayer, sometimes at the end of the day when he looked over the events of work, relationship and family. He knew that God is a God of mystery and that in history God had always called people to take risks and live with the unpredictable nature of life. Joseph wandered why God was testing his faith. He thought the the easiest thing would be to abandon Mary and start again. However, he loved her and knew that she was honest, true and had great integrity. He asked himself why life was so complicated, just when all had seemed so good as he prepared to marry Mary. He struggled with God in prayer during the night and eventually went to sleep. Joseph needed to accept this fact, care for Mary and support her at this strange but wonderful time. How mysterious are the ways of God.

St. John is pointing us to Christ, just as He did for the people who came to hear him preach in his day. He tells us to repent that we may be saved. St. John convicts and Jesus absolves. And so the Church urges us in Advent to seek out the Sacrament of Confession, or reconciliation, for it provides the healing we need. It gives us the opportunity to examine our lives and so see what is keeping us from Christ this Advent. And so although Jesus teaches us that we are not to judge other people, we can use this opportunity to judge our own lives so that we may accept God’s forgiveness and healing. We acknowledge those things weigh us down and keep us from God so that we may be liberated. Then when we are absolved we shall be ready to welcome our Savior when He comes to us at Christmas.