On this fourth Sunday of Advent in year A of the three year cycle the focus is on Joseph rather than the Virgin. Joseph appears in the Gospel of Matthew, silently and paying attention to his dreams, visions and hunches accepts the preganant finace as his wife and her child as his own.

Where would we be if Joseph had not paid attention to his inner life?

No sooner had the boy arrived when an angel warned Joseph in a dream to get out of town to escape the murderous schemes of Herod. So off to Egypt they went in the middle of the night. (more about that later)

Where would we be if Joseph had paid not attention to his inner life?

Thanks be to God! This is the man who taught Jesus to call God abba/daddy.

Merry Advent!