Fourth Sunday of Advent

Maryknoll Affiliates Louis and Janet Tullo reflect on Joseph’s quiet courage. This reflection is included in our 2025 Advent Reflection Guide, along with discussion questions, prayers and quotes from Maryknoll missioners and affiliates.

Last year, the Gospel reading for today focused on Mary’s perspective. This year, we walk with Joseph. Both stories are profiles in courage and faith.

What do we know about Joseph? Not much, just that he is a carpenter. When Joseph learns his betrothed, Mary, is pregnant, he righteously plans to divorce her quietly, to protect her from public shame.

According to Old Testament law, Mary could have been stoned for being pregnant before marriage, as this was considered a crime punishable by death—if it were discovered.

An angel appears to Joseph in a dream and tell him, “do not be afraid” to marry Mary. Was Joseph afraid of breaking the law? Of harboring a criminal? Was he afraid that others would question his righteousness?

We know how the story ends so we cannot fully appreciate the dilemma. Few of us realize the terror young girls faced in this situation. Few of us credit foster father Joseph with integrity, empathy, compassion, selflessness and bravery.

Both Mary and Joseph demonstrated the courage and faith to do the right thing even when the law directed otherwise.

This tension between law and love is echoed today. Some people feel righteous when immigrants are deported, claiming they are violent criminals or a threat to our way of life who “stole their way here.”

Yet, when we spend time with immigrants who lack papers, we see modern-day profiles of courage. Many leave behind horrendous situations in their home countries of extortion, corruption and brutal violence. Would we not do anything to protect our own children from violence or poverty?

Operations by ICE agents—targeting a grandmother out to buy food, or a landscaper with Marine sons—may be legal, but are they truly the right thing to do?

A few years ago, we met a group of Central American men traveling north toward the United States. They were migrating in search of work to support their desperate families. Like Joseph, they felt called to this difficult journey, fraught with obstacles. And, like Joseph, they rose to the occasion, choosing to do what was right.

We recently met other migrants in Texas and in New York whose stories are like modern-day carpenters, trying to protect their families just as Joseph did. It takes a lot of courage to leave home and live and work in another country. Like Mary, they face the threat of “stoning” to remove them from our society.

What are we called to do in this fraught moment? What is the angel whispering in our dreams? What do Mary and Joseph teach us about doing the right thing for immigrants as opposed to being justified under the law?

In this Advent season, let us support organizations accompanying and assisting migrants, and support legislation that can improve the migrant path to citizenship. And let us recognize the quiet courage of many “little” people who are finding that they can be brave like Mary and Joseph, who took great risks to ensure that Christ was and is with us.

Photo courtesy of the Maryknoll Affiliates and shared on their Facebook page.