4th Sunday of Advent

Today’s Gospel (Matthew 1:18-24) is sometimes referred to as the “Annunciation to Joseph,” as an angel of the Lord speaks to Joseph in his dreams and reveals God’s plan for the birth of the Savior. What if Joseph had not obeyed Gabriel? In a small town like Nazareth where everyone knew everyone else, Mary’s pregnancy prior to moving in with Joseph as his wife would have been scandalous. And imagine what must have been going through Joseph’s mind when he became aware that Mary was with child and knew that he was not the biological father. Under the law he could have had her and her unborn child stoned to death, but any doubts he had were overcome by his love for Mary and he had decided to divorce her quietly so that no harm would come to her. But then came the message of the angel, encouraging him to take Mary as his wife.

“Do not be afraid.” With those four words – repeated again and again by the archangel Gabriel, our hope of salvation was born. Gabriel told Joseph not to give in to fears about what others might say, think, or do. Previously, Gabriel had spoken similar words of reassurance to Zechariah when he received news of his wife’s miraculous pregnancy. Gabriel would utter these words again, telling Mary, “Do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God.” After the birth of Jesus, these same words would be used to beckon the shepherds to come in from the fields, to adore at the Christ child’s crib.

“Do not be afraid.” These were the words with which Saint John Paul II began his papacy when he emerged from the conclave, and greeted the faithful gather in St. Peter’s Square – words that he repeated many times throughout his papacy. These same words are spoken to us each time that we face challenges in life, difficult decisions, or even our own sinfulness. As we prepare for Christmas just one week away, and wrap our last0minute gifts, let us recall that the greatest gift isn’t one we will find under the tree. The greatest gift of Christmas will be wrapped not in brightly colored paper and bows but in swaddling clothes and found laying in a manger. The greatest gift of Christmas is the very Son of God himself, who was born to die, that we might live.