Advent Day 18 - don't panic

Matthew 1:18-25

          I read this and cannot help but think of the emotional reactions that Joseph had. He was a normal man just like the rest of us. What emotions and thoughts come over us in unforseen situations? 

I could hear myself say "what will the neghbors think?" if one of my kids came home in a loud drunken stupor one night. Of course while not angels, my 'kids' never gave me reason to say such a thing. I do recall a situaton where a neighbors  child of 14 became pregnant. Besides being astounded and saddened, I wonder how her parents felt? How did she feel? Was she even old enough to ccomprehend the import of  the sitaution?

           We all have situations that arise in our lives that elicit strong reactions, emotions and urges to take immediate action. Joseph certainly did. It is difficult not to try to 'fix' things if we are capabe of doing so. Joseph certainly had that reaction. how do we react.

           We have an expression in our house, "panic is not your friend". It refers to just this kind of emotional reaction and the desire to address things immediatly. I suppose wisdom is what is requireed to know when you really do need to take care of things post haste but for the most part it seems better not to panic or let yourself be overcome by emotion. Rarely are things so ccriticl that it requires immediate attention. 

         Whether Joseph took the time to discern ( not panic ) or whether it was strictly his response to the angel, he did not rush into anything. If this teaches me anyhting it is to reaaffirm caution action, discernment and not acting in a rash manner. What simple decision by Joseph could have changed the course of the world.  How many decisions are we called to that we may not know the import of? If anything, I beleive we are called to have due concern,  use diligence, thought and discernment to help all our brothers annd sister in the world, in our nations, in our communites and in our families.

          

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 
‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
   and they shall name him Emmanuel’,
which means, ‘God is with us.’ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.