St. Joseph - And he called His name Jesus

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, "God with us." Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.

- Matthew 1:18-25

For the remainder of this week, and through next week, the readings in the lectionary will vary through the Gospel of John. Some will repeat from other recent readings. I have made some selections of text relevant to Christmastide and the feast days included in the current period of time. Beginning on Monday, January 10, 2011 the lectionary will take us through the Gospel of Mark. Today's reading focuses on Joseph, the husband of Mary and human "father" or stepfather of Jesus.

Prior to today's selection, in Matthew's Gospel, we are given a genealogy of Jesus' forbears, from Abraham to David, to the captivity in Babylon, until the birth of Christ. The genealogy leads us to the birth of Jesus through Joseph, the husband of Mary, as the descendant of Abraham and David. So, according to Matthew's Gospel, it is through Joseph that Jesus is also called "Son of David."

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. My study bible has a note here that draws us to Joseph's character: "Joseph's righteousness -- the righteousness of mercy, which transcends the Law -- is seen in his unwillingness to expose Mary's supposed sin. Under Mosaic Law, betrothal involves almost the same commitment as marriage. Joseph cannot help but suspect a violation of divine law when he sees his betrothed pregnant. Although obliged by law to report the misconduct, he decides to put her away secretly." We have a charming and interesting parallel here with the lectionary text for today, the reading of the woman taken in adultery. (See reading and commentary for December 8, 2010, He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.) We see from the beginning of Joseph's life as husband to Mary the character of mercy that shapes Jesus' human "foster father." Mercy involves so much more than the simple understanding of kindness or generosity. It also involves the sympathy that allows us to perceive from another's point of view. Thus Joseph expresses his love and his good character, his unwillingness to expose Mary to shame and public scandal. Can we see, then, in Jesus' relationship to women throughout the Gospels, the character of his paternal steward, St. Joseph? What a wonderful human father through which to begin the story of Jesus' birth, a just, kind and loving man who practices righteousness in his concern to choose wisely for all concerned. This is Josephs' first intention.

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. A note here reads, "An angel (or "messenger") of the Lord dispels the false reasoning of Joseph by announcing the utterly unreasonable: the pregnancy of the virgin is by the Holy Spirit. since being born of a virgin proves Jesus' divinity, only the revelation of God, in this case a dream (see also 2:12-13, 19, 22; 27:19), could serve as adequate evidence of this miraculous conception." It continues, "The Bible calls engaged couples husband and wife before their marriage. Just as Rachel was called the wife of Jacob before marriage, because of her betrothal (Gen. 29:21; see also Deut. 20:7; 22:23-24), so Joseph is called the 'husband' of Mary (v. 19) and Mary is called the wife of Joseph." As we observed in yesterday's reading and commentary on The Holy Innocents, events surrounding Jesus' birth are defined by actions of grace - messages that come through dreams, via prophecy, and the annunciation of angels. In this case, we link Joseph's kindness and righteousness with his willingness to accept the word of the Spirit through a dream and the message of the angel. In my view, the text teaches us that the two work hand in hand; first there is Joseph's own inclination and decision for mercy, and then the acceptance of the message of the angel, grace working through a dream.

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: . . . A note tells us: "Here is the first of Matthew's repeated uses of the formula that it might be fulfilled which was spoken (see also 2:15, 23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:56; 27:35). The fulfillment of these prophecies not only underscores the intervention of God in history but also indicates His beginning the new creation." We really must understand at this point that this story is no mere historical repetition of events that happened on a date in the past. This is a story of grace, of God working through our world. It is a story of prophecy, dreams, angelic messengers -- all of which convey to and through the people involved the word of God, and the holy at work in the world. Through these people, such as St. Joseph, God works -- to lead, to advise, to teach. It is a story of grace threading through all the lives involved, and throughout the history of God's work in the world, to us today and in our lives.

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, "God with us." Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, . . . A note here reads, "The conception of Jesus fulfills Is. 7:14 in the Septuagint, where we are told that a virgin (Gr. parthenos) will conceive and bear a Son. He who is conceived in her is not a new Person coming into existence but the eternal Son of God, using her womb as His throne. The virginal conception through the Holy Spirit and the name of the incarnate Son, Immanuel, God with us, are clear declarations of Jesus' divinity." "God with us" -- indeed, this is truly a story of God with us, and God is with us in so many ways. The grace through which Joseph receives the word of the angel in a dream is "God with us." And Joseph chooses to accept that grace, he accepts and obeys what he is told, in faith. So, here we have a picture of a complete man, fit to be caretaker and human "father" to our Lord: a just and merciful and compassionate man, whose choice is for the good of all, and who works with the grace that appears in his life, through faith.

. . . and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS. My study bible says that "this verse does not imply that Joseph did know Mary after Jesus birth. Firstborn means having been born first and never implies the birth of others." Whatever this verse is considered to mean regarding Mary and other children, it tells us one thing most powerfully about Joseph: that he was obedient to the word of the Lord that was given to him through the angel. In faith, he accepted the spiritual reality of grace in this story, the nature of the Child, and the special role of His mother.

Could we do the same in our lives as St. Joseph? Regardless of what one may conjecture about the historical probability of this story, or the truly astounding quality of the news borne by the angel to Joseph, let us consider the workings of grace in our lives, and the way faith allows us to be open to that grace. We have two distinct elements of Joseph's character shown to us here: his natural personal choice to live a righteous life and all that means of mercy, sympathy, and decisions that are best for all -- and the receipt of the actions of grace in his life, the messages that come through a dream, via an angel, and his ability to understand and accept and follow through in faith. We may conjecture all we want to about what may seem to our daily sensibilities a preposterous suggestion, about Joseph's feelings as betrothed of Mary, but we are faced with a text that tells us of extraordinary events -- and the extraordinary, in anyone's life and in any form, presents a person with extraordinary choices for response. Let us take, then, the image of this father and husband, fit to be foster father to our Lord in His earthly life, and take the image of the father that it gives us for each of our lives, no matter how much less "extraordinary", and accept what it is to be a man who lives a truly righteous life: his kindness and compassion, his sympathy, his instincts to choose what is best for all, and his acceptance in the face of grace, his capacity for faith. I believe I am privileged to know men in my own life who embody these qualities. Would that we all could aspire to be like St. Joseph, the man through whom Jesus' Davidic lineage descends, the man called to care for this young bride who is pregnant. Joseph gives us the image of earthly father so needed in our world, and so loved. We are reminded that such men need not be biological parents - and that spiritual children and loved ones come in many forms, and come to us through God's grace.