3RD WEDNESDAY HOMILY OF THE ADVENT — YEAR A

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3RD WEDNESDAY HOMILY OF THE ADVENT — YEAR A

HOMILY THEME: MARY AND JOSEPH, MODELS OF FAITH AND HOPE

BY: Fr Isaac Awe

Jeremiah 23:5-8, Ps. 72:1-2,12-13,18-19, Matthew 1:18-24

God has not left us alone, but has brought us his only begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let us celebrate Christmas, the feast of the Incarnation, with joyful hearts and let us renew our faith and hope in God and in his redeeming work!

Do we believe that God will fulfil every promise he has made? The prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah spoke words of hope in a hopeless situation for Israel. The Davidic dynasty was corrupt and unfit for a Messianic King. Apostates like King Ahaz (2 Kings 16) and weaklings like Zedekiah (Jeremiah 38) occupied the throne of David. How could God be faithful to his promise to raise up a righteous King who would rule forever over the house of David? The prophets trusted that God could somehow “raise up a righteous shoot” from the stump of Jesse (Isaiah 2:11). Like the prophets we are called “in hope to believe against hope” (Romans 4:18) that God can and will fulfil all his promises.

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Mary had to face an enormous challenge to her faith and trust in God and to the faith of her family and Joseph, the man she chose to marry. She was asked to assume a burden of tremendous responsibility. It had never been heard of before that a child could be born without a natural father. Mary was asked to accept this miraculous exception to the laws of nature. That required faith and trust in God and in his promises. Second, Mary was not yet married. Pregnancy outside of wedlock was not tolerated in those days. Mary was only espoused to Joseph, and such an engagement had to last for a whole year. She was asked to assume a great risk. She could have been rejected by Joseph, by her family, by all her own people. Mary knew that Joseph and her family would not understand without revelation from God. She nonetheless believed and trusted in God’s promises.

Joseph, a just and God-fearing man, did not wish to embarrass or punish his espoused wife, Mary when he discovered that she was pregnant. To all appearances she had broken their solemn pledge to be faithful and chaste to one another. Joseph, no doubt took this troubling matter to God in prayer. Are we ready to believe in the promises of God, even when faced with perplexing circumstances and what seems like insurmountable problems?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you came to save us from sin and the power of death. May we always rejoice in your salvation and trust in your plan for our life. Amen

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