ST JOSEPH VS MEN OF DOUBT

Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately. But while he thought on these things, behold,an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,“Do not be afraid, Joseph, son of David, to take to thee Mary thy wife,for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.And she will bring forth a son, and you will call him Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins!” - St. Matthew 1:19-22

I sometimes wonder, "why didn't God send Joseph this message at the same time as Mary or at least shortly after? Why allow Joseph to agonize over the situation and contemplate divorce from Mary?" Had he been given this message promptly, he would have been spared this anxiety. He allowed Joseph to go through this because there is merit in suffering and also that the reward for this endurance would be greater than said suffering.

After learning that his Virgin Spouse had conceived, St. Joseph too had seen the angel and heard the message as he experienced the same event as his beloved - his own Annunciation! What a relief! With this dream the angel not only confirmed to Joseph that Mary was indeed with child by the power of the Holy Spirit, but that this child would one day save people from their sins. Also, Joseph is bestowed with the high honour of not only naming the boy “Jesus,” which means “God Saves,” but also raising the Son of the Most High as if He were his own son. God is telling him that he is worthy and has given him the grace necessary to take on this important task. Joseph found favour with the Lord and God Himself wants Joseph for a father! The angel tells Joseph to have no fear and to take Mary as his wife, and assume the legitimate rights and position of true father and true husband. God wants him specifically! Not the rich guy on the hill, not the noble warrior, but the humble worker.

 

In the Old Testament, we are given a similar story involving the highly revered forefather Abraham. The message is similar but the circumstances are different. Abraham is told that his ninety-year-old wife will conceive and bear a child in her old age, who was to become the great man Isaac.  Also, in the New Testament, the messenger Gabriel is sent to the Zechariah to announce that his elderly wife Elizabeth will bear a son to be named John, the cousin of Jesus.  Both Abraham and Zechariah place doubt in the messages given to them, whereas Joseph believes the angel completely:

And as Abraham fell prostrate, he laughed and said to himself, “Shall a son be born to the one who is a hundred years old? Shall Sara who is ninety bear a child? - Genesis 17:17

 “...thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.” And Zacharias said unto the angel, “Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.” - St. Luke 1:13-18

Just as unlikely that a hundred year-old man and his ninety-year-old wife would conceive and have a child born to them, so too was it impossible for a virgin to conceive. However, unlike father Abraham who laughed at this notion and Zechariah who doubted, Joseph the Humble accepted the message that was entrusted to him. He might not have completely understood how this was to be, but for him it did not matter. What mattered was his complete trust in God and the utter surrender to His Divine Will.

“Therefore, take these words of mine into your heart and soul. Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be a pendant on your forehead.” - Deuteronomy 11:18

As soon as the dream was over, he got up and went straight to Mary to tell her the news. God has not abandoned him after all! He apologized to Mary and said that he would indeed be her husband and protector and that he was honoured to have her for his wife, and to have the child within her as his son. He reaffirmed his love and commitment to her and the unborn Son of God.

And Joseph rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife. - St. Matthew 1:24