Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Matthew 1: 18-25
December  18, 2025 | Thursday

Today’s Gospel

This is how Jesus Christ was born: Mary his mother had been given to Joseph in marriage, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

Then Joseph, her husband, made plans to divorce her in all secrecy. He was an upright man, and in no way did he want to disgrace her.

While he was pondering over this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She has conceived by the Holy Spirit, and now she will bear a son. You shall call him ‘Jesus’ for he will save his people from their sins.”

All this happened in order to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and he will be called Emmanuel, which means: God-with us. When Joseph awoke, he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do, and he took his wife to his home. He did not have any marital relations with her. When she gave birth to a son, Joseph gave him the name Jesus.

Today’s Reflection

The Gospel passage recounts that an angel encourages Joseph in a dream not to fear taking Mary as his wife, even if Joseph has already decided to divorce her secretly because she got pregnant before they could live together. The angel’s message presents a significant dilemma for Joseph. Should he follow the seemingly absurd message of the angel and take Mary as his wife, or should he stick with his initial decision?

His initial decision to divorce Mary complies with the existing law and social norms but shall also temper public scrutiny of Mary’s pregnancy. The law requires that a man should divorce a woman betrothed to him should she get impregnated by another man. Moreover, the code of honor in the first century Mediterranean society prohibits Joseph from claiming the child in Mary’s womb simply because the child is not his.

But Joseph makes an unconventional decision, guided by his faith. He abandons his well-planned decision and takes Mary as his wife, jeopardizing his status in the community and making himself vulnerable to legal punishment if the “real” father of the child asserts his right to have custody of the child. By following the angel, Joseph’s faith leads him to do more than something heroic. He assumes a significant role in “giving birth to God in the world.” And he is the one who names Jesus Emmanuel, “God-with-us” (cf. Isa 7:14).

Like Joseph, we, too, often feel fearful when something unexpected happens. We get rattled when our plans proceed differently than we expect. However, we must remember that we can only sometimes get what we want or aim for. Unforeseen obstacles like severe or chronic sickness can significantly discourage us from achieving our plans. Strategic planning may help overcome barriers or misfortunes in life, but at times, letting go of our earlier plans and preconceived notions can lead to novel ways of achieving our goals or finding meaning in life. This adaptability is a source of empowerment.

/Vulnerasti, 2025