Luke 1:46-55, Matthew 1:18-25

Mary and Joseph were not a model family. They are not the couple that would routinely be chosen to teach Sunday School. 

Mary was a pregnant unwed teen. When she discovered she was with child, she sang a song of praise and justice about how her baby was going to bring down kings from their thrones.  Joseph found himself in the midst of a scandal. His girlfriend was pregnant, presumably by another man (the holy spirit). The sensible thing was to quietly divorce her. But Joseph listened to an angel in a dream and stood by Mary and raised Jesus as his own.

Both Mary and Joseph responded to God with a resounding and joyful “yes”.  What preposterous dreams wake you up at night? How is God being born in you or through you? Jesus wasn’t born to the couple who had it together.  Jesus was born to the couple who said yes with joy and conviction.