Relationships: key this Christmas as we draw close to Mary and her Son

Christmas, Sun., Dec. 25, 2011
Fr. Joseph Eddy, O. de M.
Gospel: Luke 2:1-14 “You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths”

Full homily text: Christmas is an exciting time for many couples who are dating. The holiday season provides the perfect backdrop for a budding relationship. The Christmas lights, exchanging of gifts…. can be very romantic. Then, of course there is the opportunity to meet the other’s family. Bringing a special guest to the family Christmas party has become sort of a tradition in American culture. It is a “rite of passage” for any relationship progressing toward marriage.

Martyrs in the Spanish Civil War, they were faithful to the end. The Mercedarian friars” prayers were finally answered when 19 friars of the Order of Mercy were were beatified in Rome Dec. 19. “These men courageously chose death rather than deny their faith,” said Fr. Joseph Eddy, the vocation director of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy. Go to their website and read the .

Is God calling you to become a Mercedarian friar? Visit Fr. Joseph’s page. 

Mary and Joseph went through these same cultural traditions during their courtship. The Gospels tell us that “Mary was betrothed to Joseph.” This was the engagement stage for any Jewish couple. Most of these betrothals were arranged by the families. No doubt, Joseph and Mary knew each other pretty well, since their families were most likely close to each other. Joseph’s knowledge of Mary came from his own experience of her and what others said about her.

(Read all of Fr. Joseph Eddy”s sermons.)

Mary was special

Now, Mary clearly must have appeared to all as “different” and even “special.” She is the Immaculate Conception; a woman created without Original Sin or the tendency toward sin. Anyone who has had the privilege of spending time with a holy person knows that there is something unmistakably special about them. Take for example Mother Teresa. She was recognized by so many as a Saint years before she died. To see Mother Teresa and spend time with her was to recognize the life of God flowing through her. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the greatest of all Saints, so the presence of God within her would have been so much more noticeable than Mother Teresa.

So, this is the one Joseph is to marry. He had heard about her character and virtues. Sacred Scriptures tell us that Joseph, himself, is a “just man.” This means that he gave others their due. First, he gave God his due by being a man of prayer who followed the Jewish traditions piously. It is safe to say that Joseph frequented the Temple and prayed the psalms often. Time spent in prayer leads Joseph to know God’s voice. He can recognize and discern God’s voice from other voices. God speaks to Joseph often in the Psalms, in daily life, and, yes, in dreams. But all of us have dreams. We do not follow everything we hear about in our dreams. Joseph learned to know God’s voice through prayer and living a virtuous life. So, when he hears the Lord speak to him in a dream he knows it is God and does what is asked immediately.

He discovers Mary is pregnant

Here Joseph is with an upcoming marriage to a holy woman whom he loves. Then, BOOM, she is found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph is filled with emotions, but the thought that Mary has acted improperly is contrary to all that he knows about her. He must withdraw from the mystery that is beyond him. Joseph knows that he is a sinful man. There is something supernatural occurring here! Joseph, being a just man, decides to divorce Mary quietly so that she will not suffer the punishment of women who commit adultery, which is stoning. Joseph tries to sleep that night. He finally falls asleep and has one of those “dreams” of his. He is told by an angel, “Do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.”  Joseph is obedient to God’s desire.

In our own lives, we too are offered the opportunity to accept Emmanuel into our lives. At Baptism, we are told that we are given the light of faith to be kept burning brightly throughout our lives. Maybe we have failed in this endeavor. Maybe we have fallen away from the faith. Our life (house) has become cluttered with material possessions, mistakes, and our sins. We do not feel true peace.  We may want to welcome the Savior into our lives, but we fear that we are not good enough. Or we are afraid that the cost would be too great for us.

No one is worthy

Well, we can take solace in the fact that Joseph felt the same way. We can follow his response to our struggle. First, we must have humility to recognize that we are not worthy of the Savior, but no one is. Second, we can pray for the grace to hear and respond to God’s voice. The greatest prayer is the Mass and the other Sacraments, especially Confession. By frequenting the Sacraments, we gain the courage to respond to Jesus’ call to accept Emmanuel back into our lives.

Yes, we do not have to fear, because the Sacred Scriptures tell us that Jesus is the “Prince of Peace.” Those who are open to Emmanuel receive real peace in this life and its fulfillment in the next. The peace and joy that Christ gives is supernatural; the world cannot understand it.  We can have peace and joy in the midst of the great struggles that come in life.

A time of relationships

So, Christmas is a time for relationships, but most important one is ours with Christ.  Welcoming Jesus into our lives is the greatest thing we can do this year. We have everything to gain as we embrace Emmanuel and allow his peace and joy to come into our lives. This is the true blessing of Christmas. It changes everything for us and allows us to live with the same courage and conviction as St. Joseph. May we welcome Mary and her Son into our lives this Christmas!