“Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.” (Mt 1:19)

“Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.” (Mt 1:19)

Today’s Passage: Mt 1:18-24

Meditation: Dear ones, just one week yet to go for Christmas and we are in the immediate preparation for it. Now, today’s meditation verse rightly calls for a genuine attitude before receiving Jesus as our Savior. Preparing for Christmas or waiting for it is a divine call for becoming Christ too; just like a young lady becoming a mother in giving birth to her baby. We are receiving something or someone at the same we are becoming somebody.

Without proper disposition of heart, you cannot receive anything in its totality. The season of Christmas also demands from us such disposition. What disposition of heart holy mother church puts before us through today’s meditation verse. It is well expressed through the example of Saint Joseph. “Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.” (Mt 1:19)

How brilliantly and vividly the evangelist puts forth the attitude of Joseph before us; though he was a righteous, Joseph did not want to expose her to shame. I do think that this is one of the best dispositions we have to have before receiving Jesus. Whenever I read the periscope of the woman caught in adultery (Jn 8), this attitude of Joseph would make its real setting. I do hope also that it has a lot to do with our daily Christian life.

Earlier I had an attitude that always prompted me to be righteous and be bold. Right, that is good also, but the problem is there is also a tendency to make the other humiliated, belittled, put to shame. We may be there legally right in the eyes of men, but there is a risk of going against the divine mercy of God. Joseph was righteous both before God and man. Receiving Jesus as your savior is adapting yourself to the mind of Jesus, the savior; you have to be a sign of salvation for others, just like Joseph to Mary.

          

Prayer: Lord God, we thank you and praise you for your daily eternal bread. How great and grateful it is to remember St. Joseph in these days of immediate preparation of Christmas! Let unlearn everything to learn how to be righteous and yet not make others exposed to shame in public. St. Joseph pray for each one of us so that we may be saved from the selfishness, pride, and hatred. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!

 Greetings: God is with you! Have a nice and blissful Thursday…