On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Church slows us down at the very edge of Christmas and asks us to look not first at Mary, but at Joseph, the quiet, faithful man standing just outside the spotlight.

Isaiah gives us the sign: “The virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall name him Emmanuel.” A sign not flashy or forceful, but tender, God choosing to come close, to dwell with us. Yet signs are only helpful if someone is willing to trust them. That is where Joseph enters.

Matthew tells us Joseph was a righteous man. That does not mean he had all the answers; it means he was open to God even when life stopped making sense. His plans were simple, decent, respectable. Then God interrupted them. Mary was pregnant. Joseph faced heartbreak, confusion, and the temptation to quietly walk away. Many of us know that place, when faith collides with disappointment, when obedience feels costly.

Here is the gentle humor of God: instead of a long theological explanation, Joseph gets a dream. An angel says, essentially, “Do not be afraid.” And Joseph believes. He does not speak a single word in Scripture, but his actions preach loudly. He takes Mary into his home. He names the child. He stakes his reputation, his future, his comfort on trusting God’s promise.

Saint Paul reminds us in Romans that the Gospel is not an afterthought, it is God’s long-promised plan, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, born of David’s line, revealed as the Son of God. Joseph becomes part of that promise not by preaching, but by protecting, by staying, by saying yes in silence.

This is good news for believers. We do not need perfect clarity to be faithful. We need courage to trust God one step at a time. Joseph shows us that holiness often looks like quiet obedience, steady love, and showing up when it would be easier to disappear.

As we prepare for Christmas, ask yourself: where is God asking me not to be afraid? Whom is God asking me to welcome, protect, or trust with my imperfect faith?

Emmanuel is coming. God-with-us does not wait for perfect people, only for willing hearts. Like Joseph, may we rise from our fear and do what the Lord asks, trusting that God is already at work in ways we cannot yet see.

Your Priest,

Father Charles Enyinnia