Week of Hope - Saturday

Matthew 1:18 - 25.

Birth of Jesus
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. When Mary his mother was engaged to Joseph, before they were married, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband was a righteous man. Because he didn't want to humiliate her, he decided to call off their engagement quietly. As he was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child she carries was conceived by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Now all of this took place so that what the Lord had spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled: Look! A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, And they will call him, Emmanuel. (Emmanuel means "God with us.") When Joseph woke up, he did just as an angel from God commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he didn't have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. Joseph called him Jesus.

Reflection:
Life rarely turns out the way we plan.  Joseph and Mary can attest to this.  Joseph was able to trust God and accept the unexpected turn in his life. He could have turned away, but he did not. When we accept the challenge to follow the will of God, we never know where life will lead us. What has helped to grow your trust in God when your life has taken unexpected turns? How are you able to find God in the messiness that is everyday life?

Prayer for Saturday, Week One
O Lord, what do we do when life seems to cast us aside and we find ourselves immersed in circumstances that we did not choose and we cannot change?  Our only hope is your promise, which you gave to your apostle under similar conditions, "My grace is sufficient for you."  Lord, help us to believe.  Amen.