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4th Sunday of AdventSt Mary's Cathedral By + George Pell There is always another character too. A prestigious part, but for one who has no lines and quietly watches as Mary acknowledges the greetings from the good and the bad (the shepherds were often regarded as rogues, who got up to a lot of mischief as one way of passing the time). The young Joseph often seems a bit bored. Is there anything we can learn from Joseph, who we know is not the father of the child? Or is Joseph only a stage extra in the flow of salvation history? Before the great feast of Christmas it seems opportune to say a few words on the significance of this man Joseph, whom Pope Pius IX nominated as patron of the universal Church, the guardian of our Redeemer, the husband of Mary, and the adult male, the human model who would have most influenced Jesus as he grew into manhood. As I have probably mentioned, there are many apocryphal writings which parallel the books of our New Testament. These are writings which the Church did not accept as inspired, and are not included in the official New Testament list. In one such book from the second century, the apocryphal infancy gospel of James, Joseph is described as being already an old man when he married Mary. This is of course plausible for many reasons. Today divorce is not unusual, as was the case when Jesus was born, and many types of sexual misbehavior do not excite too much public condemnation. On this point, the Jewish world 2000 years ago was quite different. A betrothal was more than an engagement now is, being really the first part of the marriage ceremony which was completed when the husband took his bride into his house. In other words, these were the beginning and the end of the legal process of marriage. The Jewish law prescribed fierce penalties for fornication with someone who was betrothed; death for both parties, and death by stoning for the woman. For this reason we can understand why Joseph despite his dismay and confusion decided on a quiet divorce rather than a public scandal; a quiet divorce before two chosen witnesses as the Jewish law allowed. In a dream Joseph learnt that Mary had conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit. As he was "dikaios" – a Greek word used here in Matthew's gospel to describe an upright man, someone who is obedient to God's commands – he accepted this message and then took her into his house. Especially when we are young, we can be tempted to believe that we have more religious difficulties than other ages and are subjected to religious doubts and trials to our faith which other generations escaped. Joseph's story should provide an important corrective to these temptations to excuse ourselves. Joseph was at the heart of our salvation story and his faith was tried at a level that most of us escape. Matthew's gospel is more sophisticated than might appear at an easy reading. In those days when there were few books, people often had prodigiously developed memories and Matthew was steeped in the Old Testament. Time and again his account of St Joseph echoes the ancient Jewish story found in the book of Genesis of Joseph, the dreamer with the multi-coloured coat, the youngest son of the patriarch Jacob, who was sold by his envious brothers into slavery. In Egypt, this earlier Joseph rose to a position of great power under the Pharoah. Under his wise management he set aside considerable amounts of food which fed his people during the years of famine, and even fed his brothers when they too came searching for food. Bethlehem, where Jesus was born and which is one of the flash points in the Israeli-Palestine war today, means "house of bread". St Joseph was entrusted with the care of "the living bread from heaven, which answers the needs of the spiritually hungry as his archetype had fed the physically hungry". He cared for Mary and Jesus as they escaped Herod and fled into Egypt. They were not boat people, not economic migrants, but they were refugees from political violence, ancient asylum seekers. Under Joseph's leadership, the Holy Family lived to return. Let us pray that Joseph will protect us and all the Church, as effectively as he protected Mary and her divine Son. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. |
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