The Word

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 with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss 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 conceive and bear 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 borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Reflect

By Donald Gordon

I feel for Joseph in this passage and can empathize with the thoughts and hurt feelings that must have been in his head. He had grown up, listened to his elders, became respected in the community, and was ready for the next step in adulthood. Joseph is described in the KJV as “just” and “upright” and in the NRSV as “righteous.” He was an honorable man. Joseph was the type of person we would all be lucky to marry or have our children be married to.

Then, life took a turn. Joseph learns that his fiancé Mary is with child. One second, he’s thinking about his new bride and life and starting a family, and the next second he’s trying to wrap his head around receiving what he thought was “bad news.” Being the honorable man that he is, Joseph does not lash out at Mary’s family or seek to shame her publicly. Instead, he looks to do the honorable thing and handle the issue privately.

How do you think Joseph got through this dilemma? What should we do when confronted with what appears to be horrible, life-altering news? Pray. I’m sure Joseph prayed and probably sought God’s strength to help him through the next steps. God hears our prayers. In Joseph’s case, God didn’t give him strength to hide the news, but an angel told Joseph to follow through with his marriage because of the “good news” of the growing son in Mary’s belly who we will all come to know as Jesus.

When life comes too fast, slow down and take a moment to pray and connect with God to hear what to do next—and possibly be part of a miracle.

Listen

By Dr. Ben Hutchens

Westminster’s Youth Handbell Choir, Jubilate Ringers, provides this week’s musical devotion, American composer Cynthia Dobrinski’s handbell setting of “Ding! Dong! Merrily on High.”  In it you will find a vibrant and rhythmically engaging treatment of the familiar French carol, designed to showcase the brilliance and agility of the handbell ensemble. Dobrinski capitalizes on the tune’s natural exuberance through crisp articulation, buoyant tempos, and sparkling bell techniques that mirror the pealing joy suggested by the text. The well-known “Gloria” refrain is especially effective, often marked by energetic ringing patterns and layered textures that create the sonic impression of bells ringing across a festive landscape.

“Ding! Dong! Merrily on High” is rooted in much earlier musical material than its familiar English text suggests. The melody comes from a 16th-century French dance tune known as “Branle de l’Official.” This lively triple-meter tune was originally secular, intended for social dancing, but its buoyant character and repeated phrases made it well suited for later adaptation as a carol melody.

The English words most commonly sung today were written by George Ratcliffe Woodward and published in 1924 in The Cambridge Carol Book. Woodward paired his newly written text—rich in medieval imagery and Latin refrains such as “Gloria in excelsis Deo”—with the Renaissance tune, transforming it into a Christmas carol celebrating the angelic announcement of Christ’s birth. This combination of a Renaissance dance melody and early 20th-century text exemplifies the revivalist interest in early music and carol traditions that shaped much of the modern English carol repertoire.

On this final week of advent, I pray that the music we offer lifts your spirits. May the peace of the Christchild and the joy of the angels be with you this week and always.