Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday - 19th March 2024

​Today is the Solemnity of St Joseph, so we pause to celebrate the carpenter of Nazareth, who acted as earthly father to the incarnate Son of God. Could he, even in his wildest dreams, ever have imagined that this would happen? Today, we recognise him to be Protector of the Church, as in his earthly life he was protector of Mary, the Virgin Mother of God and of her son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Gospel reading today comes from Matthew, (Mt 1: 16, 18-21, 24), and begins with the very last sentence of the genealogy of Jesus that precedes the account of the circumstances surrounding his conception and birth. “Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.” Matthew tells us that Joseph was the husband of Mary and that she was the mother of Jesus, known as the Christ, the Messiah or Anointed One. Matthew takes great care, as do the other Evangelists, to make clear that he was not the father of Jesus.

 

​Matthew begins his Infancy Narrative by saying, “This is how Jesus Christ came to be born.” This short sentence already gives the hearer an indication that this is no ordinary person and no ordinary birth. Also, from the start, he talks about “Jesus Christ” and not simply about Jesus. The story he is about to tell could not have been invented! “His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally.” The scene is set. Mary and Joseph are betrothed to be married, when it’s discovered that Mary is pregnant “by the Holy Spirit.” The account of the Annunciation is found in Luke’s Infancy Narrative, but not in Matthew’s. Here the story is told through the eyes of Joseph rather than of Mary. What we are told of Joseph is that he is a just man, “a man of honour,” and so to avoid scandal, not so much for himself as for Mary, he decides not to proceed further with the marriage but to divorce her privately. Just when he’s made his decision, he has a dream.

 

​“He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do.” In Luke the angel of the Lord appears to Mary to ask if she is prepared to become the mother of the Saviour, whom she must name Jesus, whereas in Matthew the angel appears to Joseph in a dream to encourage him to take Mary as his wife, for the child in her womb has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. She is to have a son whom he must name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins. Joseph does not doubt or question the word of the angel, but on waking up, does what the angel has told him to do. Joseph is portrayed as a man of faith, humility, tenderness and obedience. Joseph is such an attractive figure, it’s little wonder he is so admired and loved by Christians everywhere. May he pray for us today and pray for our families and for all those who stand in need of God’s love and protection.