Supposing one day, as you are having a date with your girlfriend, she tells you a shocking truth: she is pregnant. How would you react or respond? What if your girlfriend were to tell you that the child was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit? How would you react or respond? Would you believe your girlfriend and accept the child as your own? Or would you dump her, thinking that she had been unfaithful and is making up stories to try and cover up what you think is the real truth?
In today's Gospel, we come across Joseph who had found out that his betrothed, Mary, was with child. Certainly Joseph would have been filled with doubts, possibly even with suspicion, especially when the child was said to have been conceived through the Holy Spirit. Joseph was certainly in a dilemma, for he knew the consequence and fate of a woman with child before marriage. Joseph could have had difficulty coming to terms with such a news, and after much thought, he thought that the best solution would be to divorce Mary informally, since he was a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity. Then came saving news: the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and assured Him that the child was indeed conceived through the Holy Spirit. Mary had not betrayed him or committed sin after all. Joseph took Mary to his home and raised the child as His own.
If we are in Joseph's shoes and faced a similar situation, would we still keep our girlfriend and the child? Or would we still insist in dumping her, even though she had not done anything wrong? Sometimes the society we live in may make it difficult for us to take courage and keep our girlfriend and the child, but if such a thing were to ever happen, may we take courage in God's providence and do what is right.
Showing posts with label 18 December. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 18 December. Show all posts
Tuesday, 15 December 2015
Thursday, 30 October 2014
18 December - Season of Advent
We sometimes hear the saying: "Home is where the heart is" and many of us long to be home with our family and loved ones. In many countries where people are dispersed or on the run due to war, disease or some other matter, the longing to be home weighs heavily in their hearts. Even for many of us, when there is a long holiday break or some religious festival, we would take the opportunity to "balik kampung" or "go back home" to enjoy the break with our loved ones. Though we may face long traveling time and horrible traffic jams, the excitement and joy of being with loved ones makes the journey home worth the hassle.
In today's reading, we are told that the Lord would lead His people home to live in their own soil. The reading says: "So, then, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when people will no longer say, “As the Lord lives who brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt!” but, “As the Lord lives who led back and brought home the descendants of the House of Israel out of the land of the North and from all the countries to which he had dispersed them, to live on their own soil."" Just as the Lord led His people home, He is also beckoning us to come home to Him. We are all pilgrims dispersed in different places, but our being here is only temporary, for our true home is to be with the Lord. Are we excited and enthusiastic in our preparations to come home to the Lord? Are we doing our part in preparing to come home, or have we become quite comfortable in this temporary home?
In today's reading, we are told that the Lord would lead His people home to live in their own soil. The reading says: "So, then, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when people will no longer say, “As the Lord lives who brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt!” but, “As the Lord lives who led back and brought home the descendants of the House of Israel out of the land of the North and from all the countries to which he had dispersed them, to live on their own soil."" Just as the Lord led His people home, He is also beckoning us to come home to Him. We are all pilgrims dispersed in different places, but our being here is only temporary, for our true home is to be with the Lord. Are we excited and enthusiastic in our preparations to come home to the Lord? Are we doing our part in preparing to come home, or have we become quite comfortable in this temporary home?
Saturday, 16 November 2013
18 December - Season of Advent
If you are engaged to a person and you found out that she is with child, how would you respond? Some might walk away from the relationship. Others might decide to remain faithful and committed to the person despite of the situation she is in. What about you?
In today's Gospel, we see Joseph finding himself in a difficult and possibly dangerous situation. He was betrothed (something like being engaged in modern times) to Mary, but until they were properly married according to Jewish law, sex was not allowed and was considered adultery. A woman found pregnant during the betrothal could be stoned to death. Because of this, Joseph "being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally." However, when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, "he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home."
Joseph knew that the child would not be biologically his, he knew there would be difficulties and challenges ahead, he knew Mary and he could be a source of gossip; and yet he was docile and humble enough to trust in the Lord. Would we be able to follow Joseph's example and do the same if we were in a similar situation?
In today's Gospel, we see Joseph finding himself in a difficult and possibly dangerous situation. He was betrothed (something like being engaged in modern times) to Mary, but until they were properly married according to Jewish law, sex was not allowed and was considered adultery. A woman found pregnant during the betrothal could be stoned to death. Because of this, Joseph "being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally." However, when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, "he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home."
Joseph knew that the child would not be biologically his, he knew there would be difficulties and challenges ahead, he knew Mary and he could be a source of gossip; and yet he was docile and humble enough to trust in the Lord. Would we be able to follow Joseph's example and do the same if we were in a similar situation?
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