Through the eyes of Joseph. Fourth Sunday of Advent (A)

We are on the threshold of Christmas, just three days away. Advent is slowly coming to an end, and today's Gospel tells us the story of Jesus' birth from Joseph's perspective.

When we look at today's liturgical readings, we are struck by the number of names we find: David, Paul, Mary, Joseph, Emmanuel, Jesus Christ. David is the name that appears in all the readings. Christ's genealogy is linked to David, and yet the prophecy insists that his birth is unique: “The virgin is with child and will give birth to a son, and she will name him Emmanuel.”.

Here is the mystery: what does a virgin birth have to do with David? Was Mary a descendant of David? The bridge between David and Christ is Joseph, “son of David.” Joseph does not contribute physical descent, but by welcoming Mary and giving the Child a name, he gives Jesus a legal and messianic lineage. Joseph is one of the great figures of Advent. He teaches us the proper disposition to prepare for the coming of Christ. Pope Benedict XVI would say that Joseph is a person who embodies Advent itself. In Joseph, Advent almost becomes a person.

Today we focus on Joseph. In today's Gospel, he receives his annunciation, and he also gives his fiat. ”Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child she carries comes from the Holy Spirit.”. His answer is simple but comprehensive, similar to that of his wife: “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

With his annunciation, he welcomes Mary as his wife, but he also welcomes Christ as his son. By accepting Mary, he accepted Christ. The Incarnation took place in him, so to speak, by welcoming Christ. He thus becomes a model for Marian devotion, showing us what it means to welcome Mary into our lives. Joseph already did what John would do at the foot of the Cross, but in a different way. His act anticipates what the apostle John would later do: “Behold to your mother.”. John took her as his mother; Joseph took her as his wife and accepted Christ, the Child in Mary's womb, the hidden Christ. This is our task during Advent and beyond: to learn to welcome Christ, the hidden Christ who is all around us, the Christ who comes to us in unexpected ways. Let us be open to the different forms of the annunciation and the incarnation.

It is well known that the Bible does not record any words spoken by Joseph. Today we are reminded that he did what the angel of the Lord commanded him, and one of the instructions he received was: “She will give birth to a son, and you shall name him Jesus.”. Joseph named his son, the son of Mary, the Son of God: Jesus. That was perhaps the most important word he ever uttered in his life: Jesus..