Holy Spirit Mondays: A Shock at Christmas

Fr. Thomas Colyandro
17 hours ago
2 min read

Each week I send a short reflection to help you deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit. If you have a question or a prayer request, please reach out here.

Read:

"Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins'" (Mt 1:19-21).

Ponder:

While you've likely heard or read these words dozens of times, take a few minutes to think ... really think ... about the work of the Holy Spirit here. And not just regarding Mary or Jesus, but Joseph too.

Joseph is a faithful, loving, committed man who encounters something with and in Mary that is inexplicable to his human eyes, ears, mind, and heart. And his initial reaction is a very human one ... he considers his options and chooses to leave Mary ... something that just about every person on the planet would have done ... without the intervention of the Holy Spirit.

We know the rest of the story of course. But the lesson to all of us who are shortsighted sinners that spend most of our lives in the delusion of self-interest and self-importance is that we are called to reach deeper within to discover the plan of God beyond ourselves. Honestly, this can be a shock to us.

So, ask yourself: am I praying? Truly praying? Am I being faithful to what I hear in Word, see in Sacrament, and experience through the interventions of God in my life? In other words, will I choose at Christmas to respond like Joseph?

Pray:

"Most Holy Spirit, save me from myself and sanctify me."

Ask:

If you have a question or a prayer request, please reach out here.