We are very familiar with the story of the Annunciation in Luke’s gospel where the angel Gabriel appears to Mary, informs her of God’s plan for the birth of his son, and seeks her agreement to it. Annunciation literally means the announcement of something, and there is more than the encounter between Mary and Gabriel in the New Testament, there is the annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist, and we see another example in Sunday's gospel. The annunciation of Jesus to Joseph by the angel.

Joseph is a silent but critical figure in the early life of Jesus and in the gospel we see his side of the account of the birth of Jesus. It parallels the story in Luke of Mary and the angel. Perhaps you can imagine Mary sharing her side of the story with St Luke, whilst someone seems to have had an opportunity to hear from St Joseph about what happened to him and the encounter between him and an angel.

When Joseph discovered that Mary was pregnant it put him in an impossible situation. Being betrothed to someone at that time was tantamount to being married; the only thing that remained was for the bride to move into her husband’s house. Betrothal lasted for about a year and was a binding contract. According to the Law of Moses, Mary, being found to be pregnant, was guilty of adultery the penalty for which was being stoned to death together with her unborn child. Joseph could have insisted on this. All of us can imagine how he felt angry, humiliated and betrayed, and yet we get a sense of kindness and compassion where he wants to spare Mary public humiliation and shame. He wants to spare her life and that of the unborn child. Would you or I have done this, or would we have insisted on our legal rights and then taken satisfaction in someone getting just what they deserved?

But Joseph is open hearted, he is also open to the spirit of God in his life when God sends his messenger to ask him for his help, as with Mary at the conception of her son. The message is not a demand but a request with an invitation to trust in God and his plan for the salvation of his people. Joseph could have woken from his dream and decided that it was all nonsense but he decides to cooperate with God’s plan even though he does not fully understand what he is being asked to do.

Think about it. Joseph is a brave man, he must have known that publicly accepting Mary’s child as his, and therefore giving Jesus an earthly lineage from the house of David, would have been seen as being ridiculous, even scandalous with his friends, neighbours and family. They probably thought he was a soft touch. Later Joseph saves the life of his infant son by fleeing as refugees with Mary to Egypt. Most importantly Joseph brings Jesus up well. I like to think that Jesus, in his humanity, got some of his best qualities from his foster dad as well as from his mother, after all we are all a combination of our parents in some way. For Jesus qualities of compassion, acceptance, mercy, and love.

Today is a story of how faith can see us through doubt as it did with St Joseph. During the dark night of the soul, those times of desolation and uncertainty that we all encounter in our lives, we need to remember that we are watched over by angels; that God speaks to us if we have an open ear and an open heart; that we have received the grace of God, and that each and every one of us are called to be saints. Today take into your heart the words of the angel to Joseph, “do not fear”, God is with you.

And don’t forget Joseph, his ear and heart as open to you as it was to Jesus and Mary. In a way, as Mary is our mother, Joseph is our father. Have a word with him when you need to; ask him for his help.

As Christmas approaches pleased be assured of my ongoing daily prayers for your intentions. A very Happy Christmas to you your loved ones.

God bless and keep you.

Fr Chris