Many years ago, a pastor from the southside of Chicago used his sermon to propose a theory about the Virgin Mary that should cause all people -- be they Pro-Life or Pro-Coice -- to re-aasess their beliefs.
The pastor suggested that Mary was raped and rather than allow her to be stoned, Joseph claimed the baby was his child. In doing so, a sinful act became the very presence of God in the creation of life.
Joseph stepped beyond the religious rules of his time to do what was ultimately right. He gained insight through a visit from an angel, which served as a metaphor for the message we receive whenever we embrace the mystery of life that is revealed by a love that knows no restraint.
It is a message of hope, which is the true meaning of the Biblical sory of the birth of Jesus.
