One example of the justifiable fear involved with having a body is made terrifyingly clear when you contemplate that bragging about sexually abusing women is no barrier to being voted leader of the so-called free world.
And that's just one example of the many unchallenged threatening messages our enemies have put out there. Messages that are in fact designed to strike fear in the least of these who Jesus identifies with, who in fact Jesus says, what you do to them you do unto me! So not just our enemies, but Jesus' enemies!
Fear is the enemy's tool. Creating a culture of fear is a political tool used to gain compliance or inhibit resistance, well used throughout history. And so when Jesus or angels tell us not to be afraid or greet us saying peace, it is not just comfort, it is to disarm the enemy.
Now in tonight's scripture, the angel does not simply say to Joseph "Do not be afraid" as greeting, but specifies what Joseph should not be afraid of - taking Mary as his wife.
Now I find it interesting how many people think that before Joseph knows Mary was knocked up by the Holy Spirit, he'd be justified in being angry, jealous or betrayed by Mary. The angel does not say, "don't be angry, however, but rather don't be afraid."
Some commentaries suggest Joseph might be afraid of offending the Lord, of not obeying the law, or of bringing scandal upon himself or his family. Now possibly in part to address the scandal, in the genealogy prior to this, Matthew named three women who were sexual transgressors and yet had God's favor or blessing.
Two of these women sexually transgressed in order to survive in a system that was set against them. Given recent political developments, a system set against women - or even more set against women than it currently is, especially if those women are marginalized in any other way - such a system seems close at hand.
To quote Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, "I pray that the incoming administration will prove to be more humane than its rhetoric and many of its most ardent supporters. I see no evidence that this is the case. None. It is irresponsible folly to act as though we are in a normal transition between administrations. We must prepare to provide sanctuary and resist."
We're going to need Josephs in these coming times. Those who can see and hear God's message - that following the law blindly and fearing scandal play into the enemy's hands. That taking the least of these into your home or heart is the same as taking Jesus there.
Josephs who defy laws and social pressures to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, and care for the sick and the imprisoned. Like Arnold Abbott who keeps getting arrested in Ft. Lauderdale Florida for feeding the homeless. Ft. Lauderdale being one of 31 cities in the US where feeding the homeless - feeding Christ! - is illegal.
As I've said previously, it is in resistance that I find Hope. The sanctuary movement, where churches are harboring or are setting up to be able to harbor those who have been threatened with deportation, the folks I'm in touch with who are preparing to take women and other people with wombs to legal and safe clinics in Canada should Roe v Wade be overturned, there are folks advising trans people on how to get their birth certificate changed before it's too late and I'm sure there are those who are planning on resisting the registration of Muslims - I plan on finding them soon.
The discipline of Hope is putting Hope into action. Rather than worry how this situation could have happened, find a way to help those who have been threatened. The response to the enemy's use of fear is not to go into denial, it's to find Hope in some kind of action. Perhaps not all of these precautions will be necessary, perhaps the ones that are necessary won't even succeed. Yet we Hope that working towards helping even one of the least of these is helping Jesus himself.
It is one of the great paradoxes of Christian life that we need Jesus' help in order to help Jesus. As Paul reminds us, we can do all these things, but without love it's all just a bunch of noise. I have personal experience working with the homeless and it's the kind of work that can burn you out quickly if you're not taking care of yourself or getting support.
Part of the charism of the Order of Jesus Christ Reconciler is to be that support. Especially for those who find tending to Jesus through the least of these is resisted within their local church or even in their denomination. As always though, I recommend contemplative prayer and meditation to strengthen your relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Let me also remind you that in Advent, we look forward not just to honor the incarnation, but also to look forward to the Kingdom of God fully manifested. No one knows the day or hour and it can seem a long way off and it may not even look like what we imagine it will look like. Let us find hope in the idea of it, though. That as much as our efforts to ease the suffering of the least of these may seem like a drop in the ocean, keep faith that we work for a time when all who enter the Kingdom care for each other in the presence of God.
Questions for discussion:
Tonight I've talked a lot about where I find hope in times when despair seems reasonable. In our discussion tonight, I certainly invite your responses to that, but also I'll provide some more personal questions to stimulate discussion.
1) If an angel told you do not be afraid, what fear that you have would come to mind?
2) Can you find a Christian hope that might address that fear, either in how you observe people living out Christian values or in scripture or tradition or in a personal encounter with Christ?
3) What actions do you see as a disciplined way of acting out of that hope?
- First reading
- Isaiah 7:10-16
- Psalm
- Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
- Second reading
- Romans 1:1-7
- Gospel
- Matthew 1:18-25
