This sermon was preached on December 21, 2025, being the Fourth Sunday of Advent, at the 9:00am Rite I Eucharist at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church (Lappans) in Boonsboro, Maryland.
Readings: Isaiah 7.10-16; Psalm 80.1-7, 16-18; Romans 1.1-7; Matthew 1.18-25
Collect of the Day: We beseech thee, Almighty God, to purify our consciences by thy daily visitation, that when thy Son our Lord cometh he may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
“Joseph…did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.”—Matthew 1.24
In the Name of God who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Amen.
We have just heard the angel’s good news that a Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, will be born and save His people from their sins. This Son, who will be named Jesus, will speak in time to come a parable describing a man beaten and left “half dead” by robbers while traveling the 17-mile journey from Jerusalem to Jericho. A Priest and a Levite, both inferred to be Jewish men, pass by the injured man in strict keeping of the Mosaic Law, evading ritual uncleanliness to fulfill their respective religious obligations. A Samaritan, part of an ethnoreligious group of people descended from the Israelites—utterly despised by them—will stop, tend to the stricken man, and go above and beyond in seeing to his comfort and recovery. By means of this parable, this Jesus soon to be born will teach how the “spirit” of the law, loving God through our entire being and our neighbor like ourselves, should take precedence over the “letter,” the lack of any interpretation leading to unfair assumptions and injustice. It will be one of the numerous ways Jesus will display in His very Self God’s desires for us all: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.”[1]
On this last Sunday of Advent, it is not Mary, our Blessed Lady, who we hear receiving the good news of Jesus’ birth. It is instead her betrothed Joseph, described in today’s Gospel as “a just man.” This description by Matthew helps us see inside Joseph’s heart and have a sense of his character. From what we hear, God’s law is incised deep within Joseph’s heart and mind, being the prevalent guide for all he seeks to do, wanting to do nothing else but to love and serve God. Joseph’s inner thoughts and actions throughout today’s Gospel lesson shows his concern for others that comes from his love for God’s law.
News has come to Joseph that Mary is pregnant before they officially move in together as husband and wife. Whether Mary herself told him about her own visit from the angel, other people found out about Mary’s surprise pregnancy and told him, or he got word of it and asked her to explain, all of that we do not know. But what we do know is that Joseph aims to both be obedient of God’s law and compassionate to Mary. We can sense the love he has for her. Yet, the letter of the law is clear: Mary has become pregnant while they are not (yet) privileged to enjoy the full rights of marriage. Stopping the betrothal period and divorcing Mary was within Joseph’s right to do. He resolves “to send her away quietly” to do what he can in the most just way possible to lessen the public shame Mary will receive because of her situation. In this, we see Joseph wanting to be obey the letter of God’s law in a compassionate way. Can he do both? If so, how?
It is in that desire we see God’s angel come and tell Joseph to not be afraid to stay with Mary. He heard the exact same message she did. You can imagine a whole host of things going on in Joseph’s mind upon receiving the angel’s word. First, what he knew concerning Mary all along—that she was a woman of strong character possessing deep faith in God—was confirmed by the angel. Second, like Mary, Joseph remembered the prophet’s word and trusted what was happening. “Joseph…did as the angel of the Lord commanded him,” becoming the earthly guardian, protector, and provider for Mary and the Blessed Child Jesus. He goes from being a righteous man burdened by the letter of the law to one modeling its spirit through faith in God’s Word.
The righteousness of Joseph we see in today’s Gospel lesson helps point to the prevalent theme of righteousness we’ll see throughout this lectionary cycle. Joseph is an example of what righteousness and faithful discipleship looks like. Though he desired to fully follow God’s law, could he do so in this situation? No. It required mercy, not strict rules. What Joseph back then and we right now learn in this situation is how God’s righteousness manifests itself in different ways. The Holy Child soon to come will be the One who can and will fulfill the totality of the law and bestow upon us mercy and compassion. Joseph can’t do both, but Jesus can and will do both. Like Mary in Luke’s Annunciation story, we can see a glimpse of Joseph here in Matthew already being changed by this Child through whom we all will receive grace to model obedience of faith to everyone we encounter.[2]
The situation we see Joseph face is, in some ways, not unlike those we face in our own lives. There are, have been, or will be times where it seems, as Joseph realized, that there aren’t any good options for the resolution of our issues. There will be people who will judge you, who will not understand, and won’t try to understand. Though there may not seem to be any good solutions available, there is always one, which Joseph chose: do all that God says and trust His Word. Righteousness will only get you so far on Earth, but in that eternal life to come through that most Holy Child, our righteousness will open to us the greatest joys ever imagined. Hence, Joseph’s choice to stand with Mary and help raise Jesus should be encouraging for all people. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”[3] Jesus is coming and will grow into a Man full of strength, bringing us satisfaction in God for doing the lovingly right thing, regardless of this life’s unfair judgments and consequences.
Jesus, in the time to come after today’s Gospel lesson, before telling his famous Parable of the Good Samaritan, will be asked by a lawyer testing him, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” We heard the answer as the Summary of the Law at the start of today’s Mass: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”[4] Love is more than just a sentimental feeling; it is every action that seeks the good flourishing of others. Joseph did as the angel commanded him because of His love for God and want to do good. He heard the truth, believed, and was deemed righteous by God. Being honest and righteous and following God is worth it. What an awesome example Joseph is for us all.
Folks, it’s getting real—Christmas is almost here! Upon hearing the news of the birth of Christ to come, is your heart ready to receive Him? Will you allow your hearts to be hard and vengeful, taking advantage of others’ troubles? Or will you be like Joseph, receiving, believing, and convicting God’s Word into your heart and feel the peace that surpasses all understanding? As Joseph was found well suited to bring up the Child Jesus, may we too be found by God well suited to receive Him, confess His Holy Name, and bring Him to all we know and meet.
In the Name of God who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Amen.
[1] Cf. Luke 10.25-37; Hosea 6.6.
[2] Romans 1.5.
[3] Matthew 5.6.
[4] Book of Common Prayer (1979), p. 324; cf. Luke 10.27-28.
THE ANGLO-CATHOLIC GENTLEMAN 
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