Mary and Joseph's Christmas Wish

I'm young. I'm only 21. And so, I am not going to say that I have a lot of life experience, nor will I assume that I will ever know what everyone is going to go through during their lifetimes. But I can say with confidence that no one, NO ONE, is going to experience anything that will top having an archangel appear to you and tell you that you will give birth to God.

BAM.

Mind blown.

Granted, Mary was a special case, - she had to be, to be the ark of the new covenant - for she knew no sin. But still, she must have been freaking out. Confused, shocked, surprised, anxious, excited, but throughout all this still willing to be obedient to the will of God: "Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord. Let it be done unto me according to Your Word" (Luke 1:38). As soon as the power of the Holy Spirit made her pregnant, her whole life was changed.

Likewise, Joseph must have been going nuts. He was even more confused, more surprised, and even doubtful, angry, or worried that Mary had been with another man, before an angel appeared to him in a dream. But then he stepped up, he became the model for all men, and he took his wife under his protection, in order that the Will of God might be fulfilled.

Throughout what must have been a very exciting 9 months, Mary and Joseph did as they were commanded by the Lord. They looked at their situation with wonder and awe, and asked God for grace. Maybe we need to look to the Holy Family more often. Perhaps we need to also ask for grace to do, accept, and trust what God wants for us, no matter how implausible or crazy it may seem.

So this Christmas, let's celebrate Mary saying "yes" and accepting the act of giving birth to Christ. Let us rejoice that Jesus has been born to save us, and will come again.

Let's go ahead and ask for presents.

Let's go ahead and ask for that coat, that new electronic, that new book.

But let's also ask for faith.