Excerpted from 2025 Advent Guide: Lighting the Way Forward, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches.
Matthew 1:18-25
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do 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 as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
“Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife but had no marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son, and he named him Jesus.
Embracing Humanity with Justice and Faith
On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Gospel of Matthew tells us Joseph finds himself in a moment of quiet crisis. Faced with Mary’s unexpected pregnancy, he plans to step away quietly from his betrothed—until a divine message invites him into a deeper path. Rather than judge or reject, Joseph chooses love, trust, and courage. He embraces God’s unexpected plan and becomes a protector of sacred life.
Joseph’s story is not just about obedience—it’s about embodying justice. His choice reflects a faith that sees beyond convention and fear. In our world fractured by divisions—race, immigration status, religion, gender, and more—his example reminds us that justice often begins in the quiet decisions to honor one another’s dignity.
As members of the North Carolina Council of Churches, we know this calling well. We come from diverse traditions, but we are united by the shared belief that faith must be lived out in the public square—with compassion, courage, and an unwavering commitment to justice. Through advocacy, education, and collective action, the Council continues to lead in welcoming the stranger, caring for creation, confronting racism, and defending the vulnerable.
This Advent, as we light the fourth candle, the candle of love, and prepare to welcome the Christ child once more, let us follow Joseph’s lead. Let us listen deeply for God’s voice urging us to choose love over fear, and act with justice—even when the path is uncertain. Christ comes not through privilege, but through those willing to trust in love’s power to transform the world.
May we carry that love into our communities—as people of faith, as co-laborers for justice, and as bearers of the light we now await.
