Do not be afraid

He was afraid of what other people might think.

He was afraid to be publicly associated with anything.

Those are some of the reasons Joseph had decided to divorce Mary quietly (not to mention the deadly punishment that Mary might face).

But, as we hear in today’s Gospel (Matthew 1:18-24)...

Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,

do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”

Sometimes we too are afraid of what people might think and we are even afraid to be publicly associated with the Catholic Church and the faith of Christ, even in this season leading up to Christmas.

May we heed the voice of the angel:

Do not be afraid....