JOSEPH, A MAN OF HONOUR

IV SUNDAY OF ADVENT: Mt 1:18-24

The Gospel is about Jesus Christ

Paul initiates his letter to the Romans by presenting himself as an apostle called and sent by God to proclaim the good news (the Gospel). And he makes it clear that he was commissioned to announce the news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who took human nature, being as such a descendant of David (Ro 1:1-3).

This is the great mystery that we celebrate at Christmas, which we call the mystery of Incarnation, which means that the Son of God came to live among us in a body like ours. Remaining the Son of God, he decided to hide his glory and assume human nature to be truly “God-with-us".

Joseph’s role in the incarnation

This Sunday's gospel deals with the role of Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth, engaged to Mary, in this mystery of Incarnation.

Some people would like to know much more about Joseph and even complain that we don't give him enough consideration in the Church. In fact, we can find very little in the Gospels about Joseph, but the Gospels were not written to satisfy our curiosity; they are proclamations of Jesus as the Son of God, Christ and Saviour. Similarly, we are told also very little about Mary, because we proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not the gospel of Joseph or Mary. However, if we read attentively, we can find in the little that is written plenty to help us to be true disciples of Jesus Christ.

Joseph was confronted with the mystery of Incarnation. It is as if he is forced in by the circumstances; but we should not forget that circumstances are part of God's plan. He was engaged to Mary, when he discovered that Mary was pregnant. Faced with that, he could not understand even less accept the situation; puzzled, he looked for a way out. 

Even though unable to understand, Joseph cared about Mary’s dignity

In his Gospel, Matthew speaks of two attitudes that define Joseph's character: he was "a man of honour" (or a "righteous man"), and he wanted "to spare her publicity" (or he was unwilling "to put her to shame"). Being a man of honour, he could not accept Mary, when her pregnancy was not his; but he loved and respected her too much, and could not find the courage to denounce her and bring shame upon her. So he decided to abandon her, knowing that his decision would bring reproach and derision upon him, because everybody would point fingers at him and accuse him of being irresponsible. Instead of bringing shame upon Mary, he preferred to be shamed himself by the gossip of the people.

Joseph acted in good conscience and with a pure heart; and God intervened, because he straightens the path of the righteous and comforts the heart of the troubled. God revealed to Joseph the mystery of Mary's pregnancy: "the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit"(Mt 1:20), and orders him to play his role as protector of Mary and of the  child to be born. And Joseph did it, silently and in the background. In the end, Jesus' words apply to him: "‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!" (Lk 17:10).