Christmas 2C (Matthew 2:13-15,19-23)

We know little about Joseph personally, but we do see how he changes his heart in the nativity story of Jesus. His actions throughout the Gospel consistently reveal a radical path that challenges traditional notions of family and belonging. How does he do this? By choosing to protect and care for Jesus and Mary despite his lack of biological connection to them, Joseph goes against the grain of familialism and family collectivism. In a culture where identity was deeply rooted in bloodlines—a notion still prevalent today—Joseph breaks away from the norm, prioritizing his calling over genetic ties. His choice broadens our understanding of family as one grounded in commitment and purpose rather than in biological inheritance or familiarity. The Church has historically recognized and honored this unique family, calling them the Holy Family.

Joseph’s example points to a vision of community that transcends kinship, modeling what the early Church would come to embody: a “community of the Other.” Just as Joseph was called to care for a child who was not of his bloodline, the Church is envisioned as a gathering of strangers—individuals biologically unrelated yet united by a shared purpose. It is a community not defined by ethnicity, culture, or race, but by an openness to the “Other.” We are called to care for one another, not out of natural familiarity, but from intentional compassion and commitment—a willingness to “care deeply” about those who may be entirely different from ourselves. (Ask yourself, “Where is your kindness coming from towards people like me and my family, who are culturally and ethnically so different from you?”)

This vision of community is radical in its nature, but it should not be confused with political movements like Communism or socialism. Unlike these ideologies, which may prioritize collective ownership or enforced unity, the community Joseph models and that the Church envisions is built on the conscious choice and decision-makingof each individual. It is a voluntary gathering, a “new society” formed not by forced equality but by genuine acceptance and commitment to those who are different. Each person is free to come and contribute, not out of coercion but out of a conscious choice to care for others as a calling rather than a requirement.

This new kind of society also challenges our human tendency toward tribalism—the comfort we often find with those who share our background, culture, or race. Joseph’s choice shows us that genuine community can be formed even among those who are “total others,” united not by superficial similarities but by an understanding of shared purpose and love. It is an invitation to embrace and care for strangers, not because they mirror our identities but because they share in our humanity.

In choosing the unfamiliar path, Joseph exemplifies a community built on commitment and radical inclusivity, reminding us that true family and community go beyond the familiar boundaries of blood and culture. In this way, Joseph’s life calls us to embrace a higher calling of unity—one rooted in acceptance, compassion, and a willingness to care for others, not because we are alike, but because we are so different and are thus equally valued and equally loved by God. 

This radical acceptance is not simply an intellectual exercise. If it is, it’s to fail and should fail right away. We’re wasting our time here. It must be based on a spiritual discipline. Through contemplative practice, specifically focusing on the Breath of God, we can begin to un-familiarize ourselves with our own identities, transcending the labels and default associations we often cling to. When we sit in quietude, allowing the Breath of God to breathe in and out, we encounter the mystery of our own being and become “Other” to ourselves. This inner distance from our familiar identities creates space for self-compassion, as we regard ourselves with the respect and dignity we often reserve for strangers. In this way, we become both stranger and beloved to ourselves, treating the self with the same gentleness we would extend to an unfamiliar friend.

This contemplative experience shifts our understanding of something as simple as breathing. What we often perceive as a mechanical act—air moving into our lungs—transforms into an experience of the Breath of God, enlivening and sustaining life itself. Each breath becomes sacred, a moment of connection to the divine presence within and around us. As we deepen our awareness through this embodied practice, our capacity to see and accept others as they are—without using them to reinforce our sense of comfort or feed our puffed ego—expands. We are invited to encounter others as true “Others,” not extensions of our own identity or sources of familiar security, but as beings worthy of care and compassion in their own right.

Joseph’s story, then, is not only about his courageous choices but also an invitation for us to expand our understanding of family, community, and self. His example shows us that genuine community is built through an intentional, spiritual commitment to the unfamiliar and the unknown, founded on one’s conscious choice and willingness and grounded in the contemplative act of breathing with God. It is in this sacred, inner space that we can dismantle our ego-driven boundaries and embrace a vision of family and community based on radical love, self-compassion, and reverence for the Other as a reflection of the divine breath that animates us all.