The Gospel reading then turns to the story of Joseph. Upon learning that Mary was pregnant, Joseph plans to “divorce her quietly” (Matthew 1:19). But a messenger from God, an angel, appears to him in a dream and drastically changes his perspective, causing him to do a 180 and become the adoptive father of God. What a task! When I reached rock bottom with my addiction, I hit a point where I saw my life going nowhere. That was my point of hopelessness. I looked in the mirror and thought, “You need to ask for help.” And when I did that, it changed my life and perspective forever. My “yes” at that moment was similar to Joseph’s “yes” to the angel, changing both of our lives forever.

The angel tells Joseph that the child shall be named Emmanuel, meaning God is with us. Those of us in recovery may have had similar experiences when, after admitting our powerlessness and asking for God’s help, we suddenly experienced Jesus with us as a personal God and not some distant deity. That is the true beauty of Christmas. The God of the universe lowered Himself to be with us out of love and mercy. Today’s Gospel reading reminds us that, despite where we come from or where we’ve been in our lives, we are invited to encounter the living God made flesh and make for Him a dwelling place in our hearts.

Reflection Questions

• Similar to Joseph, have there been moments when God changed your perspective and life? How?
• What about Jesus’ incarnation gives you hope? How might this hope nourish your recovery as you head into the Christmas season?

Daily Mass Readings

First Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29
Second Reading: Acts 13:16-17, 22-25
Gospel: Matthew 1:1-25

Reflection by Jonathan H.