4th Sunday of Advent
Year A - Homily on Matthew 1:18–24
(The Annunciation to Joseph)
Today’s Gospel, gives us a powerful and tender glimpse into the heart of Saint
Joseph.
And though Joseph never speaks a single word in Scripture, his life
communicates a message the Church needs desperately today.
His obedience, his courage, and his faith show us what it means to trust
God when life does not unfold the way we planned.
Matthew begins by telling us that Joseph was a “righteous man.”
In Scripture, righteousness is not about being flawless or rigid.
It means you are in right relationship with God—someone whose heart tries
to beat in harmony with God’s will.
And yet this righteous man finds himself in a situation that would break
anyone’s heart.
He learns that Mary, his betrothed, is with child.
It must have felt like the world stopped.
Everything he dreamed, everything he envisioned—a simple life, a holy
marriage, a peaceful home—suddenly collapses.
Joseph is confused.
He is hurt.
He is afraid.
He is standing in a kind of darkness.
It’s important to say this clearly: Holiness does not mean we never
experience fear, confusion, or pain.
Holiness means that when fear arrives, we respond with trust.
When confusion enters, we seek God’s voice.
When pain touches our heart, we choose love over anger.
That is exactly what Joseph does.
Even before the angel comes, he chooses mercy over pride.
He chooses to protect Mary rather than expose her.
His first instinct is compassion.
And then—right when Joseph feels lost—God speaks.
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”
In that moment, Joseph learns that the very thing that caused him the
greatest fear is the very place God is working most powerfully.
And, brothers and sisters, that is still true today.
Very often, the place in your life that feels uncertain, heavy, or
frightening is precisely the place where God is preparing something new.
Let me share a short but meaningful
story of A Father’s Yes
Some years ago, I knew a young couple who were expecting their first
child.
They were filled with that beautiful mix of joy and nervous excitement.
But at their 20-week appointment, the doctor delivered heartbreaking
news:
the baby would be born with significant medical complications.
They did not know if the child would survive, and if he did, he would
need multiple surgeries.
The father was devastated.
His plans, his expectations, everything he imagined about becoming a dad
suddenly felt unstable.
He told me one day, with tears in his eyes, “Deacon Pat, I don’t know how
to be the father this child will need. I don’t feel ready.”
But something remarkable happened.
Each night, he would place his hand gently on his wife’s belly and
whisper:
“I’m scared… but I’m here. I’m yours.”
When the baby was born, tiny and fragile, hooked up to tubes and
machines, the father stood beside that little incubator, placed his hand on
that tiny hand, and whispered again:
“I’m scared… but I’m here.”
Over the next months, the child slowly grew stronger.
And I will never forget one particular moment:
I walked into a parish festival and saw that father lifting his son into
the air—laughing, smiling, playing.
The fear that once felt overwhelming had been transformed into courage,
and that courage had blossomed into love.
The father later said, “I didn’t understand it at first, but saying
yes—even when I was terrified—changed everything.
It didn’t just make me a father. It changed my heart.”
When he said this, I thought immediately of Saint Joseph—the
quiet, faithful father who said yes even without understanding the path ahead.
What is Joseph’s Example for Us
Today?
Joseph teaches us that authentic faith is not based on having all the
answers.
Authentic faith is saying yes to God even when the road is unclear.
Joseph did not know what the future would hold.
He didn’t know how to raise the Son of God.
He didn’t know how they would survive the journey to Bethlehem.
He didn’t know about the flight into Egypt.
He didn’t know about the hidden years in Nazareth.
But he trusted.
And he obeyed.
And he loved.
And because of his trust, Jesus entered the world.
This is a powerful message for us—because every single person here has a
place in their life that feels confusing, uncertain, or burdensome.
Maybe you carry a worry about your children.
Maybe you are facing an illness.
Maybe you’re struggling with finances, or loneliness, or a relationship
that’s hurting.
Maybe something in your life is not turning out the way you hoped.
And like Joseph, you might feel like saying,
“Lord, I don’t understand.
Why is this happening?
What am I supposed to do?”
And just as He said to Joseph, God speaks to you today:
“Do not be afraid.”
Not because the road will be easy.
But because God is with you in every moment—in every uncertainty,
every decision, every storm, every joy, every burden.
And like Joseph, your yes—even a trembling yes—allows Jesus to enter your
life more deeply.
Joseph, the Guardian of Jesus—and
of Us
Think of what Joseph’s yes accomplished.
He became the protector of the Holy Family.
He shielded Mary and the infant Christ from danger.
He built a home where Jesus could grow in wisdom and strength.
In the same way, your yes has power.
When you say yes to God:
- you protect the
people entrusted to you
- you bring
Christ into your home
- you create a
place where faith can grow
- you shape the
future in ways you may never fully see
Joseph didn’t realize that his ordinary, quiet obedience would echo
across centuries.
And your faithfulness—your hidden sacrifices, your love, your
courage—will echo in your family and your parish for generations.
An Invitation for This Season
As we reflect on this Gospel, I invite you to ask:
Where is God asking me to trust Him right now?
Where is God saying, “Do not be afraid”?
Where is God inviting me to say yes—even if I’m unsure?
Maybe it’s forgiving someone.
Maybe it’s letting go of anger.
Maybe it’s deepening your prayer life.
Maybe it’s taking a step toward healing.
Maybe it’s saying yes to a responsibility that feels heavy.
Maybe it’s opening your heart to something new God is doing.
Like Joseph, we may not see the whole path.
But like Joseph, we can say yes to the God who walks with us.
Conclusion
Brothers and sisters, Joseph’s life teaches us this profound truth:
God’s plans are often beyond our understanding,
but they are never beyond His love.
May we learn from Joseph
to listen when God whispers,
to trust when God leads,
to obey when God calls,
and to say yes—even in our fear—
so that Christ may be born anew in our lives.
Amen.
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