Why Advent Ends with Joseph: Fourth Sunday of Advent, by Gayle Somers

By Gayle Somers, Catholic Exchange, Dec. 19, 2025

Gayle Somers is a member of St. Thomas the Apostle parish in Phoenix and has been writing and leading parish Bible studies since 1996. She is the author of three bible studies, Galatians: A New Kind of Freedom Defended (Basilica Press), Genesis: God and His Creation, and Genesis: God and His Family (Emmaus Road Publishing). Her latest book, Whispers of Mary: What Twelve Old Testament Women Teach Us About Mary is available from Ascension Press. Gayle and her husband Gary reside in Phoenix and have three grown children.

On this last Sunday of Advent, our Gospel calls us to reflect on Joseph, not Mary or Jesus.  Why?

Gospel (Read Mt. 1:18-24)

As our time of preparation and waiting in Advent draws to a close, we find ourselves listening to St. Matthew’s account of how Joseph became an important part of the first Advent.  In some ways, the example of Joseph is the perfect pivot point as we move from anticipation to reality in the Incarnation, celebrated all through the liturgical season of Christmas.  How?

St. Matthew tells us that “Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.”  There is so much we would like to know about how this came about!  Did Mary try to explain to Joseph the impossible story of the Annunciation?  Or did she, instead, keep the  explanation to herself and simply acknowledge to Joseph that she was “with child”?  We don’t know for sure. …

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