Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Congratulations with the feasts of the Resurrection of the Lord and of the Holy Fathers, that is, all the Old Testament saints whose memory we mark once again today, and also with the forefeast of the Nativity of Christ!

In today’s Gospel reading we heard the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as the account of His birth. The Righteous Joseph’s confusion after discovering that Mary was expecting is narrated in the most concise and matter-of-fact manner. The stichiry (church hymns) that we will sing at the Royal Hours on Tuesday morning very beautifully and vividly expand on the emotions Joseph could have experienced when he noticed the young Mary, who was raised at the Temple in Jerusalem, who it seemed had dedicated her whole life to God, who was betrothed to him (already an old man by that time) so that he could protect her and care for her, had in fact become pregnant in an unknown manner. It seemed that Mary had fooled Joseph and had acted in an unbecoming manner with some other man.

The Jewish law mandated that most severt punishment for fornicators, but Joseph, although a pious Jew who tried to thoroughly follow all aspects of the Law of Moses, was a kind man and could not bring himself to accuse the girl of sin and hand her over for punishment. Instead, he decided to act with kindness and quietly let her go. While the Holy and Righteous Joseph bewailed the situation in which he found himself (for he wished not to break the Law, while at the same time his conscience would not allow him to harm Mary), an angel appeared to him in a dream. With his words the Archangel Gabriel calmed Joseph, reminding him of the words of the Lord spoken through the Holy Prophet of God Isaiah: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Probably not the appearance of an angel convinced Joseph (for Zachariah, a man no less righteous than Joseph, did not at first believe the angel who appeared to him in the Temple), but the words of the heavenly messenger and the reminder of the prophecy of the virgin birth of the Saviour did. He woke up from sleep, put aside his doubts, and continued his service to the virgin Mary.

Let us also in moments of confusion turn first to Holy Scripture and seek in it answers and comfort.

priest Alexis