"The Supporting Actor" - 4th Sunday of Advent Homily by Deacon Ted

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.

Sounds like the beginning of a movie.

The words that flash across the screen as a scene appears.

Which, by the way, have you heard the rumors about the Academy Awards coming up?

You know, no.

Well, it got me thinking.

Who's the star in this movie?

Clearly, it's Mary.

Right?

I mean, later it transitioned and the star becomes Jesus.

But at this point in the movie, it's Mary.

It's all about Mary.

Or is it?

So in the Academy Awards, there's an award given to the best supporting actor.

Most people can't name the best supporting actor from last year, let alone years ago.

But it's the best supporting actor who enables the star to shine, who enables everybody to focus on them, and enables them to do what they have to do and make the movie a success.

That is Joseph's role.

Joseph I gotta be good because he's looking over my shoulder Joseph is the supporting actor But if you think about it without Joseph the story of Jesus and Christmas couldn't

occur

It was through Joseph that the line of David passes on to Jesus.

It is Joseph who takes Mary and to marry her.

and as the Father means Jesus, Jesus.

It's Joseph who in today's starts to demonstrate his qualities, his capabilities that we should all try to emulate.

See,

He takes this woman to be his wife and she ends up pregnant.

So, he ponders it, he thinks about it, I mean he actually contemplates, what do I do in this situation?

And because he's a righteous man, he says, I don't want to do anything to harm or shame her.

And yet, I don't want to do anything to harm or shame me.

So here's what I'm gonna do, I'm just gonna divorce her quietly.

I mean, think about what he's going through here.

And then he goes to sleep thinking, okay, that's the plan.

And during the night, the angel appears to him and says, do not be afraid to take Mary, for it's the Holy Spirit who conceived this child.

And now Joseph is brought into the main scene.

He is right there.

And it's Joseph, yes.

We always hear about Mary's yes, but it's Joseph's acceptance of Mary into his house.

that allows the scene to unfold.

It allows the major scene to happen.

Why are they in Bethlehem in the first place?

Because Joseph had to go and enroll.

Otherwise, the child would be born in Azeroth.

But that's not what prophet said, where the Messiah would be born.

So you see, even though we don't think about it, even though it's not blatant to us, Joseph is a key player in this story all the way along.

Joseph

So Joseph takes her into his home.

Joseph names the child Jesus because Joseph is for all rights and purposes the father of the baby and in the Bible it refers to him as foster father.

not stepfather, foster father.

And so I research what it means to be a foster father as opposed to a stepfather or a father.

Well, one, it's not biological.

But as a father, I can say honestly,

If you care for the child, if you provide for the child and his mother, if you are there to love the child, if you are there to teach the child, you are the father.

And Joseph was the father of Jesus.

So

Joseph opens himself up to all of these things.

And here's the last thought I want to leave with you is that Mary is great.

But Mary was born without original sin.

Mary was conceived for her purpose.

Joseph was just like us.

until he got the call.

So each one of us could be Joseph.

And wouldn't it be great on that day when you appear before the judgment seat if you can say, my God, all I tried to do in my life was imitate Joseph.

Because God will smile at you and say, welcome home.

Amen.