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Make Room for an Angel

This is a summary of a Fr. Gerry Creedon homily delivered at St. Charles on December 19, 2004

"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home."

AT OUR LATIN American community liturgy today we inaugurated a program of "Convalidationes," blessing of marriage. Many of our Latin immigrants have been married civilly but not sacramentally. There are a variety of cultural reasons for this situation. One aspect is a reluctance of many men to make a commitment. As one said to me,"Que pasa , padre, si tendria ojos para otra?" What would happen if I had an interest in another woman?

In today's gospel we find Joseph a reluctant suitor. He has anxieties and doubts about Mary. He can make no sense of her pregnancy. He wonders what the neighbors would think. He was reluctant to break the canons of conventional morality. I'm sure Mary was aware that something was going on with him. In Luke's gospel the angel visits Mary, In Matthew the angel appears to Joseph in a dream. When he awoke he took Mary into his home. He took a risk. Trust was restored.

As we prepare for Christ's birth all of us are challenged to face our anxieties. Moments of distrust can enter into even our most intimate relationships. External cultural signs and no amount of gifts can conquer the darkness within.

It was no accident that Joseph was touched by an angel in his sleep. Time magazine recently presented a major article on the essential role sleep plays in our lives. To get in touch again with our inner feelings we need space and rest. In these frantic days let us make room for an angel. God's grace is often what we need for the restoration of love.

May Christmas find us like Joseph opening the door of our hearts to the rebirth of love, the great sacrament of Emmanuel, God with us.

  or  2004 Homilies