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Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
He had no relations with her until she bore a son,
and he named him Jesus.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Today’s Gospel reveals the heart of Saint Joseph. He is a man of mercy, action, and silence.
Joseph was an ordinary man – a carpenter from a small town on the edge of the Roman Empire. Perhaps the best thing that ever happened to him was meeting his bride-to-be, Mary.
Now, strangely, he knows she’s pregnant … and the child isn’t his.
Anyone standing in Joseph’s shoes could’ve been understandably heartbroken. Distraught. But instead of plotting revenge against Mary, Joseph is merciful.
Although the Law allowed him to throw her out – even to have her stoned! – Joseph decides to, “divorce her quietly,” a sign he forgives Mary’s transgression, even as he plans to go his separate way.
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Then, an angel appears to him in a dream, telling him that it was through the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was conceived. No human wisdom will help here.
Yet, Joseph didn’t ask for further proof. He didn’t take a silent forty-day retreat to process this message. Immediately, he took Mary – and this child that wasn’t his – into his home. Then he served and protected them for the rest of his life.
Joseph was a man of action.
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Perhaps most difficult of all, he was a man of silence. The Gospels never record Joseph saying a word. He listens and he acts.
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What might Joseph’s life and example say to us?
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Three things: Treat others with mercy, offering the benefit of the doubt. There’s always a chance we don’t have the full picture.
Second, when the Lord speaks, do something. All too often we beg for more proof or another day to process. Joseph reminds us, as the old Zen saying goes, “Leap and the net will appear.” Have faith.
Third, embrace the silence. Listen before you speak.
Which of these is the Lord calling me to practice today?
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Image credits: (1) Saint Joseph with the Infant Jesus, Guido Reni, Wikipedia (2) Philippe de Champaigne, The Dream of Saint Joseph, The National Gallery, London (3) Aleteia