The biblical journey thus far has been God teasing out His purpose for humanity. In this symphony of salvation, the plan is brought to fruition through the cooperation of a maiden. In the 1st Reading, even though wicked King Ahaz feigned humility in not wanting to test God, the Lord through Isaiah gave a prophecy. The proof of God’s protection will come from a maiden with child. Considering the historical period where a woman’s status is dependent on a man, the plan cannot have come to fruition if Joseph did not collaborate. Betrothed to Mary, he discovered her with child. The first clue that God’s plan could go ahead was Joseph’s desire to spare Mary from embarrassment and to protect her unborn Child. An unwed pregnancy would have resulted in a woman being stoned to death and with that the child would have died in her womb. Even though the status of a betrothal is as good as being married, still Joseph did not react in revenge. A just or honourable man he was but more was needed. More than the protection of Mary’s dignity, more than sparing the Baby in the womb, God wanted Joseph to take Mary into his home so that the Child could be given his name.
Given that there is scant said of St Joseph, it is natural that we think of Jesus more in terms of Mary. After all, Joseph is often described of as the foster father of Jesus. But Joseph’s role is not insignificant. While Mary may have shaped Jesus in the womb, Joseph shaped Him to be the Man He is.
At the top of his qualities, apart from being a man of honour, Joseph was also a man of purity. Betrothal and subsequent marriage presume that conjugal relationship is the norm. However, the answer of Mary to the Angel’s message may be an indication that she had intended to remain a virgin. “How can it be since I know no man?” makes no sense since she was going to be married to a man. It would be better if Mary’s response be framed this way: “How can it be since I intend to remain a virgin in marriage?”. In this marriage to a woman who desires to remain a virgin, we recognise in Joseph a man whose faithfulness to God and to Mary is rooted in his virtue and manly strength of purity. In this pleasure-seeking age, Joseph’s abstinence or self-control sounds rather weak and almost unbelievable because we live in an age of pornography and wide-spread immorality. Jesus mingled with women of all kinds and the masculinity of Joseph can be seen in how He treated women with proper decorum and respect.
Secondly, Joseph must have been a man of patience. Once he embraced his mission, he played the supporting role of doing what was necessary in order that God’s plan could unfold in its time. A man who listens to and obeys God learns how to be patient especially under trial. Think of Jesus who was always patient when it came to sinners. The woman caught in adultery and waiting to be stoned to death encountered a Christ who patiently waited for the crowd to expend its energy before putting everyone in his place. He consistently sought out sinners so that they could be brought back to the fold.
Finally, Joseph was a man of prudence—a virtue in such a short supply these days. When achievement is our target, we can become actors without realising that in every circumstance, there is another actor, God. The angel who appeared to Joseph told him to quickly remove the child and His mother and to flee to Egypt. In an age of self-motivation and personal dream-pursuing, such a hasty retreat would be counter-intuitive to how we would normally act. But Joseph did not think twice. He uprooted and went. Suppose if he had stayed, Herod would have killed the Child. No Jesus to save us and God’s plan would have been stymied. Joseph, in fleeing was not a coward. The same prudence was observed in Jesus. He chose His battles with the authorities who were trying to kill Him. He wisely stayed away because the time for the realisation of His mission was not up.
These are just samples of qualities from a man deeply in touch with God and who trusted God. Trusting God’s will and putting it into action is not easy. For God’s purpose to be fulfilled, trust in Him is paramount. We have much to learn from both Mary and Joseph in the area of trusting God.
As we approach 25th December, the warm fuzzy Christmassy feelings increase. Of course, we should appreciate what the season represents. He came, we commemorate. He is here, we celebrate. He will come again, we anticipate. However, the best Christmas cheer is not found in the choice cuisine, not the celestial choir, and definitely not in the chic clothing. In fact, St Joseph reminds us that in honouring the first Christmas, the conditions that brought about the Incarnation and the birth of Christ are anything but fuzzy and warm.
For God’s plan to succeed, it requires our human cooperation and that is often entangled in sticky situations. Sometimes when a tragedy strikes, we reason it as being the wrong person, in the wrong place and at the wrong time. But if we delve into it, there are no such things as wrong person, wrong place and wrong time. Joseph was right where he should be, for without him, there would be no Jesus. Yes, Mary gave birth to Christ the Son of God. But the plan of God needed Joseph too. While Advent is a preparation for the coming of Christ, it is also a preparation to accept God’s will, like Joseph did. He collaborated with God and became a part of His plan of salvation.
In the bigger picture of redemption, Joseph’s “I” was more than an “I, me and myself relentlessly pursuing my personal happiness or self-fulfilment”. Instead, his “I” sprang from the soil of deep faith. Mary’s “fiat” gave us Jesus. But Joseph’s “yes” was equally a vital component of God’s divine purpose for humanity. In this week as we run up to Christmas, may the faith of Joseph guide us. He has shown us that in God’s magnificent plan for salvation, no one is ever the wrong person, in the wrong place and at the wrong time. As Joseph entered the world of God, he made a world of a difference for all humanity. Likewise, Advent is our preparation to enter into God’s universe and each time we say yes to Him, we also become the difference that the Son of God had come to realise and bring about.
