Daily Reflection – 12/18/2025
Sacred Scripture
Now 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. (Matthew 1:18-25)
Reflection
Matthew’s Gospel presents us with a moment of profound tension and transformation in the life of Joseph. He is described as a “righteous man,” unwilling to expose Mary to shame, yet deeply troubled by the news that she is with child. His world—his faith, his ethics, his expectations—was shaken. In that moment of uncertainty, Joseph models for us the struggle between human reasoning and divine invitation. He considered the law, weighed his reputation, and wrestled with what seemed right. But then, in the quiet of a dream, God broke through. An angel spoke, calling Joseph to trust, to yield, and to step into a story far greater than himself.
Joseph’s response is remarkable. He awoke and obeyed. He let go of fear, of doubt, of his own standing in the community. He surrendered his personal hopes for marriage and family, and instead embraced God’s plan. In doing so, Joseph emptied himself—making room for God’s will to take root. His obedience was not passive resignation but active faith. He chose to trust that God’s purposes, though mysterious, were good. That act of yielding changed not only his life but the course of salvation history. The threads of God’s plan, woven long before Joseph’s birth, continue to touch lives more than two millennia later.
This passage challenges us to consider how often we resist God’s plan because we cling to our own. We rely on our “tried-and-true” ways, our rigid definitions of right and wrong, our self-imposed certainties. Yet Joseph shows us that true righteousness is not found in rigid adherence to the law but in openness to God’s living word. Faith requires listening—to the whispers of God in scripture, to the sacraments that nourish us, to the beauty and grace that surround us daily. Yielding to God means loosening our grip on anger, resentment, and judgment. It means refusing to spread untruths or malicious words. These things harden us, isolate us, and close us off from love. When we are closed, we cannot receive the gift of Emmanuel—God with us.
Christmas reminds us that God’s presence is not abstract but incarnate. Emmanuel means that God enters into our human realities: birth and joy, struggle and confusion, peace and reconciliation. Christmas is a gift—given freely, meant to be shared, sometimes requiring effort to live out. In prayer, we receive peace. In kindness, we share its joy. In our work for forgiveness, reconciliation, and justice, we make Christmas alive in the world. Like Joseph, we are invited to trust that even when life disrupts our plans, God is in control. We may not understand, but we can yield. And in yielding, we find strength to survive and thrive.
The lasting gift of Christmas is not confined to a season. It is the abiding presence of Christ, Emmanuel, with us now and forever. Joseph’s obedience reminds us that when we let go of ourselves and trust God, we step into a story far greater than we could imagine—a story of love, redemption, and eternal life.
Prayer of The Day
“Lord Jesus, you came to save us from sin and the power of death. May I always rejoice in your salvation and trust in your divine plan for my life.”
Daily Note
During these last few days of the Advent season, may you and I hear a word from that inner place, a word that banishes all fear and encourages us to take one tiny leap of action to draw nearer to something we do not fully understand. Emmanuel is God with us: do not be afraid.
Lovely message today