Monday of the Third Week of Advent
I have always been fascinated by dreams…particularly my own. Dreams can be so comforting and weird and terrifying—all at the same time. Most often, I forget my dreams upon awakening. Still, at times there are emotions or feelings that linger and I know it is because of the dreams I had the night before. Scripture relates the dreams of many prophets and ordinary people including Moses, Abraham, Gideon, Samuel, Daniel, the Magi, and Peter to name a few. Today's Gospel passage about St. Joseph reminds me that Emmanuel—'God with us'—works in unconventional ways in my life. Dreams, emotions, intellect, memory, etc. are God given gifts through which God reveals Godself to me. Joseph was a humble, unknown, working man making a life changing decision based upon a dream. A dream! But Joseph's story is a perfect example of how I can see God expressing God's will through the innumerable gifts given me.
Everything of 'value' for Joseph was at sake when he had the dream imploring him to accept Mary after finding out she was pregnant. In making this decision, he risked everything--reputation, family, community, livelihood. Nevertheless, he knew his dream was a revelation from God. What would have happened had he made the 'obvious' or 'easy' choice and rejected Mary? The fact that Joseph honored what was revealed in his dream is not a just a testament to the importance of dreams, but rather to how Joseph lived every moment—his deep abiding faith and trust in God in all things. Joseph knew 'Emmanuel' was a genuine reality before Jesus was born of flesh. Joseph knew God.
Do I know God the way Joseph knew God? Am I willing to take chances in my life the way Joseph did? It is a very rare person who experiences a dream as Joseph did. Still, I can pray with this Scripture.
I can plead with God to make my dreams (and emotions and feelings, etc) more clear to me…that I may perceive what God is revealing to me in my everyday life through the gifts I have received.
This day, may I take a chance on ‘Emmanuel’. May I resist the temptation to live in 'safety', trusting my own instincts and habits. I want the grace to believe that Emmanuel can and will make my life an expression of ‘Living on Earth as it is in Heaven’…whether it be through dreams or emotions or feelings or a combination of all these gifts. Above all, may I trust God as Joseph did and let it be ‘Emmanuel’ that decides exactly how this will transpire.
- Gail Lyman