Let Go and Let God
ME
Have you heard the phrase:
“Let go and let God” ? or ;
“Get out of the way so that the Lord can do his job.” ?
We use this saying when we are faced with difficult situations.
YOU
I don’t know about you but for the longest time I haven't really understood what that means. How am I supposed to get out of the way so the Lord can take care of this problem?
GOD
In today’s gospel we see Joseph modeling for us how to “let go and let God”. Joseph was caught in a very difficult situation with Mary. And the evangelist Mattew gives us a glimpse of Joseph's interior life as he is facing this difficult decision.
At the time of Mary and Joseph, engagement was taken very seriously and had legal consequences.
The betrothal took place at the home of the father of the bride, where she stayed after the betrothal ceremony. One or more years would separate the betrothal ceremony from the actual marriage ceremony.
The following marriage ceremony consisted in just the transfer of the bride from the father’s home to the groom’s home. In this account from Matthew we understand that the betrothal ceremony had already taken place and they were awaiting the wedding ceremony.
It is during this time that Joseph would visit Mary from time to time while waiting for the day when he would bring Mary to his home and start a family. And in one of those encounters Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant.
Imagine the nightmare for Joseph! He knew that the child was not his. Consider that at that time a sexual relationship with a third party would have been considered punishable with death.
The gospel shows us the pain and the internal struggle that Joseph started experiencing from learning that Mary was pregnant and the child was not his. He had to make a decision.
Matthew tells us the following in verse 19:
“Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.”
Joseph could have sent her to death but instead decided to divorce her quietly. He could divorce her because through the betrothal commitment they were husband and wife.
Notice that Joseph had not made the divorce public, when the angel appeared to him. Many other men would have made a decision right away, on the spot.
In not taking an impulsive decision Joseph remained open to God and God showed him a third option - to take Mary into his home because the child has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Now, please take the hand out that has been distributed.
This hand out has two columns it shows the characteristic of limited communion with God also called compulsive living and the parallel characteristic of being in full communion with God also called contemplative living.
When our internal life, thoughts, desires, deeper predispositions are in full communion with God we are fully aware of God loving presence and we are able to also act in that love.
None of us are able to live 24 hours a day in full communion with God, not even Mother Teresa of Calcutta was able to do that!
When we find ourselves in limited communion with God characterized by rigidity, focus on past and future, self absorbed, strong self defenses the key is to remain open. Open means that what we are experiencing is not all that is possible. Joseph did just that - he remained open.
Remaining open means, not to cling that any of our experiences in the compulsive side cannot be changed.
Joseph was transformed by God because he didn’t react impulsively and remained open. I have highlighted those in bold on the sheet.
from having a narrow vision of reality - where Joseph saw only two solutions, divorce or stoning he was able to get an expansive vision of reality - to embrace a third option.
from being stuck in the Past and Future (look what Mary did - and - all people will dishonor me from now on); he was able to live the present moment and accept Mary
From dealing with Mary’s problem to relating to her again as his wife.
From a cluttered inner space of thoughts to an empty inner space that had room to accept a new solution - to bring Mary in his home.
YOU
Joseph was made free of the compulsive side only because he remained open just a little bit and that tiny openness is enough for God to enter in our life. God wants for us to experience deep and profound joy and union with Him but it only happens when we are able to move in the contemplative side even for just a few moments.
When our internal life, thoughts and predispositions are in this space we are able to experience the fullness of God’s joy. Joseph ultimately did.
I will pause for two minutes now. In these two minutes I invite you to reflect on this sheet. Is there anything today that keeps you trapped in the compulsive side? We all have some!
Go through the left column and imagine what your life would be like if you could change your thoughts, desires and predisposition to the contemplative side.
For example from being focused on the past and future to being able to live in the present moment. Or changing from obsessed to accepting and serene.
I will come back in two minutes.
WE
The Lord became intimate with Joseph in a dream, we don't have to wait for a dream. In a few minutes we will encounter the Lord in the Eucharist. I invite you to take this opportunity to ask Jesus to enter in your life and to be made free of the compulsive living.
This is why Jesus came down from heaven and became one us - to free us from anything that is holding us back from a deep union with God.
This is the Good News we celebrate next Sunday on Christmas day. Come Lord Jesus!
