"The Birth of Jesus Christ"
Gospel Luke 1:18-24
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
"Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means "God is with us."
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
Silent Justice
by Arnel G. Matias
Advent pulls us back into a season of waiting—a time when we sit with the reality that the world’s a mess, but there’s still hope. This year’s theme, “Justice shall flourish in His time, and fullness of peace forever” (Psalm 72:7), hits especially close to home for us Filipinos. Just look around: corruption runs deep, especially in these huge flood-control projects that are supposed to protect people but seem to benefit the wrong folks. There’s this sharp political divide that’s splitting families and friends apart. While some of us are just trying to recover from floods, deal with rising prices, or survive day to day, a handful of leaders live easy, their wealth looking more suspicious by the day. It’s exhausting. Sometimes, it feels like faith itself gets tested.
But then, the Gospel for Advent—Matthew 1:18–24—offers something different. God’s justice doesn’t always start with big gestures; most of the time, it begins quietly, in ordinary lives. Take Joseph, for example. He’s a carpenter, not a hero. He finds out Mary’s pregnant, and you can imagine the confusion, the hurt, maybe even a sense of betrayal. Still, Joseph doesn’t lash out. He doesn’t look for revenge. He tries to protect Mary from shame, even before the angel shows up. And when he’s told God’s plan in a dream, Joseph just trusts. He doesn’t argue, doesn’t hesitate. That simple trust and courage make room for Jesus to be born—the very justice and peace we long for.
Joseph’s story hits home for me. The past years, I ran into my own battles with peace and doing what’s right. Like a lot of people, I got caught up in that political divide that’s tearing through our country. I ended up cutting off friends, not because they hurt me, but just because we didn’t see things the same way anymore. At first, I told myself I needed space for my own sanity. But honestly, the longer it went on, the heavier it felt.
After a while, realizations crept in. I accepted I was part of the problem, too. I let frustration drown out patience. I let differences swallow up relationships. Looking back, I wish I’d stood as steady as Joseph—listened more, reacted less, trusted instead of fearing, chosen unity over walking away. Joseph didn’t let his feelings control him; he left space for God to speak. That’s the kind of strength I’m hoping for now.
The mess we see in our country—corruption, division—it’s daunting. But the Gospel keeps saying: real justice and peace start small, slow, and almost always with ordinary people trying to do what’s right. If we want peace to grow here, it needs to start inside us—in our choices, our words, and the way we patch things up with others. Justice has to take root in our own hearts before it ever shows up in the world.
So this Advent, I’m asking for grace to fix what I’ve broken: friendships that faded, conversations I dodged, bridges I let fall apart because of pride or disappointment. I want the guts to reach out, rebuild, and let compassion matter more than politics. Our country’s hurting, but healing’s possible if enough of us are willing to follow Joseph’s quiet example.
Jesus, Emmanuel—God with us—showed up in a world full of injustice and division. His birth was a sign that God hadn’t checked out on us. Justice will have its day. Peace will last. Advent reminds us: even when we mess up, even in a country weighed down by corruption and conflict, God’s still here—asking us to be the ones who carry justice and peace, starting right where we are.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
Heal our nation and heal our hearts.
Grant us the courage of Joseph—to choose peace in a time of division, to choose justice in a time of corruption, and to choose reconciliation in the relationships we have wounded or lost.
Bring healing to our homes, our friendships, and our beloved Philippines. Amen.
Gift for Jesus:
Offer Him the gift of reconciliation.
Reach out to one friend or family member with whom you have grown distant. A message, a prayer, or a simple “Kamusta ka?” can be your humble offering of peace to Jesus this Christmas.
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