Daily Gospel Reflection
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December 18, 2024
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
He had no relations with her until she bore a son,
and he named him Jesus.
With just a week to go, many of us are anticipating the coming joy of Christmas. During these final days of busy external preparations, we may need to pay attention to our internal provisioning. If so, the Church offers us this beautiful gospel to help recenter our hearts through Saint Joseph.
I was first drawn to God’s description of Joseph as “a righteous man.” In Scripture, to be righteous doesn’t mean being an excellent rule follower. It means being in the right relationship with God. How is our relationship with our Father right now? Have we taken time in quiet prayer to prepare the home of our soul for God’s son with a good confession?
The second characteristic that caught my eye in today’s gospel was how Joseph, even though pained by Mary’s unexpected pregnancy, still sought the best for her, being “unwilling to expose her to shame.” In a way, we can see this as his means of forgiving Mary for a hurtful situation. Is there someone in the past who wronged us, and we have not forgiven? Have we asked God for peace in both of our hearts?
Finally, we witness the obedience of Joseph immediately heeding God’s will by doing “as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.” Joseph had no idea what this unexpected child would mean for him and Mary as a family, but he trusted that God would guide them on the best path. We, too, may face uncertainty in what God is asking of us in our jobs, in our health, or our families. Whatever it may be, humbly ask our Lord for the strength to “be not afraid” and trust in his care.
May Notre Dame, Our Mother, and Saint Joseph bless us abundantly this Christmas season, particularly my own father, whose birthday is today!
Prayer
As we draw closer and closer to the celebration of the birth of Mary’s child, we listen to the Gospel narration of the divine announcement of Mary’s pregnancy and naming of her first-born Son, Jesus, yet to be born. Hearing this angelic message, we are reminded that each baptized Christian, each member of Christ’s Church, is a brother or sister of Jesus. We pray that we may be worthy of such a holy relationship. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Today marks the feast day of an important Irish saint, St. Flannan, who is honored in a particular way in Killaloe, a small village on the border of Counties Clare and Tipperary. The Cathedral Church of Killaloe is named after St. Flannan.
Born sometime in the seventh century, Flannan was the son of an Irish chieftain, Turlough of Thomond. He joined the monastery in Killaloe that the famous Irish abbot St. Molua founded.
A legend about how Flannan ended up succeeding Molua says that one day, Flannan was baking bread for the monks and for the poor in the monastery kitchen for thirty-six hours straight. In the middle of the night, he kept baking, and light began to stream from his fingers into the darkness, enabling him to keep baking throughout the night. When Abbot Molua heard about this young monk’s dedication to serving, he appointed him as the next Abbot of Killaloe.
Unsurprisingly, Flannan, before and during his tenure as abbot, gained a reputation for his unwavering hospitality. The families surrounding the abbey whom he looked after clamored for Flannan to be appointed a bishop.
Accordingly, Flannan traveled to Rome where Pope John IV consecrated him the first Bishop of Killaloe. He was a wildly popular bishop, and devotion to him seems to have spread to the Hebrides, islands off the coast of Scotland, where he may have preached.
Flannan is now the patron saint of Killaloe and of County Clare. The image of him to the left comes from CatholicIreland.net and is used with permission.
St. Flannan, faithful monk whose hands shone with Christ’s light—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Flannan is used with permission from CatholicIreland.net. Last accessed November 1, 2024.