Through this Advent season, I have been using this column to look at some of the scriptural figures who are important to this season. Today, we take a look at St. Joseph, who is featured prominently in Matthew’s gospel. We will hear of St. Joseph next Sunday.
Joseph was most likely a young man just coming into his own when Christ was born, but there is a legend which says that he was an old man. There are several likely reasons why that legend grew up. For one thing, it is easier for some to believe that an older man could respect Mary’s virginity. As one living a celibate life, however, I find it much more helpful to believe that the Holy Spirit helped Joseph to remain chaste. The legend of Joseph as an old man also could be a way of explaining the places in scripture where they refer to Jesus’ brothers and sisters. Our insistence on Mary’s virginity made some people think that these were Joseph’s children by a wife who had died. But in their culture, the word for “brothers and sisters” also referred to cousins, as extended families were quite important at the time.
Setting aside that legend, we can look at Joseph as he appears in the gospel. First of all, we can see Joseph’s role in the Holy Family. As husband of the Blessed Mother, Joseph was legally recognized as Jesus’ father. It is through that relationship that Jesus was recognized as a descendant of King David. More importantly, at the time of Jesus’ conception, Joseph was betrothed to the Blessed Mother. We think of that relationship as an engagement, but betrothal was a step beyond engagement. Joseph had all the legal rights of a husband except for living with Mary. So if she was found to be pregnant, then the logical conclusion was that she had committed adultery, which was a capital crime. But Joseph was merciful, wanting to divorce her quietly, and that mercy left him open to the message of the angel that this child was the Son of God. So Joseph is a sign that we are called to trust God and to be open to His will.
Joseph is also given to us as a protector. When King Herod called for the Messiah’s death, Joseph took Mary and Jesus into safety in Egypt. Throughout the early years of Jesus’ life, we see Joseph as a provider for the Holy Family. We know him as a carpenter, but that probably does not mean that he made a living making fine furniture. The Greek word for carpenter in the gospels is tekton, which is a carpenter who would do all kinds of woodwork, including buildings and other big projects. We might think of a tekton as a construction worker. Joseph was a hard worker who did whatever he needed to do to provide for his family. So while we see Joseph as a man of faith, we do not see that faith as an idle quality. Joseph’s faith was active, affecting everything he did every day of his life.
We often call St. Joseph “a just man.” Justice, in this sense, means that he always sought to do the will of God. As he did so, he not only helped carry forward the mission of our salvation, he also became an excellent example for us. St. Joseph teaches us to live our faith as if Christ were living in our own homes.
Father H
