Advent 4 - Choosing Love over Fear

THE CAROL SERVICE AUDIO RECORDING -
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Advent 4 - Joseph Chooses Love over Fear - Matt 1:18-25

As we light the fourth Advent candle, the candle of Love, we turn to Matthew 1:18-25, the story of Joseph’s dream.  As with the other passages we have been reflecting on, this story provides a universal metaphor for how the Divine breaks into our lives and our world. Beneath its surface lies a profound invitation: to embody love—a love that is courageous and compassionate.

In the story, Joseph is faced with a dilemma. Mary, to whom he is betrothed, is found to be with child. According to the accepted cultural customs of the time, Joseph could have chosen to distance himself from Mary, preserving his honour and fulfilling the expectations of society. Instead, Joseph listens deeply. He opens his heart to a voice beyond his fear and pride—the voice of the Divine, the voice of possibility, the voice of Love itself. The angel in the dream whispers, “Do not be afraid.” And Joseph, in a moment of surrender, chooses love over fear. He chooses to stand by Mary, to embrace the unexpected, to welcome life unfolding in a way he had never imagined or planned.

What does it mean for us to choose love in our own lives? Love is often portrayed as gentle and sentimental, but Joseph’s story reminds us that true love requires great courage. Love calls us to move beyond our fear, fear of judgment, fear of what others might think or say, fear of vulnerability, fear of the unknown, and to trust in a Greater Wisdom unfolding in the midst of what may feel sometimes like a world of chaos. In these moments, Love calls us to stand beside others when it would be easier to turn away. It calls us to choose compassion over respectability. It invites us to accept the mystery of life even when we cannot see the full picture.

And so, in this Advent season, as we are reminded of the Infinite Love of God shining upon a fragile world, lost in the darkness of human fear, pride, cruelty and violence, we ask ourselves: Where are we being called to choose love? Where might we set aside our fears, our pride, or our doubts to make room for something greater?

The story of Joseph reminds us that love is an active choice, not just a feeling. As we are touched by that Divine Love and Light that has been revealed in the Christ-child, love should become something we do, something we live, something we participate in. Like Joseph in the story, when we choose love, we make space for new life, new possibilities, and new hope – for the Christ-child to be born again into the world. Amen.