Solemnity of St. Joseph, April 17, 2013

Solemnity of St. Joseph, April 17, 2013

Epistle, Genesis 49: 22-26      Gospel, Luke 3: 21-23

St. John Chrysostom wrote about the virgin birth, and in particular about St. Joseph’s role in the Holy Family at this time.

It was the custom in those days for betrothed brides to live in the house of their bridegroom, and it would seem Mary lived with Joseph then. In this situation we can find an answer to the question: why didn’t the virgin conception take place before Mary was wedded? It was in order that the mystery of this would be kept hidden for a while, and that the Virgin Mary might escape all danger of evil suspicion,  because their neighbors would assume her conception took place in the normal manner in marriage.

Joseph  knew he and Mary were celibate,  so he had the best right, looking at this situation through the eyes of the world,  to be moved by jealousy at who the father of the child was. But Joseph did not look at the world this way. He saw everything through the eyes of his great faith, so he did not send his espoused away from him, and he did not brand her with scandal, but he took Mary as his own and cherished her after she had conceived.

Because we know that Joseph was a just man, as St. Matthew tells as at Ch. 1, v. 19, it is clear to us that he would not have kept her in his house or provided for her needs if he had not clearly come to know that she had conceived by the Holy Ghost.

St. Matthew brings testimony from another source to confirm this. In case anyone would say how can it be proved that Mary conceive by the Holy Ghost? Who saw it? Who ever heard of such a thing happening?  It’s as if Matthew is saying: if you won’t believe me, then believe the grief of Mary’s husband, Joseph, and what Joseph did afterwards which confirms the story.

St. Matthew writes: “Joseph, her husband, being a just man . . .” To be just, as the word is used here, implies a full growth of righteousness which comes from loving and serving God with all our heart, all our mind and all our strength. It is because Joseph was just that he was of a mind to put Mary away privately. This was the grief of Joseph, that this unbelievable situation presented itself to him. But while he was thinking about all this he was told the secret of the virgin conception by an angel in a dream, in case anyone should have doubts about what he did after he knew the secret.

If Mary had sinned with another man she would have deserved to be denounced and punished under the authority of the Law of Moses, but St. Joseph, now knowing that the child she carried was by the Holy Ghost, did not condemn her and did not denounce her.

Here we see in St. Joseph a man full of spiritual understanding and free from the tyranny of suspicion. Joseph was so pure, and free from that kind of jealousy that he would not cause Mary even the slightest grief. And although Joseph lived under the Law of the Old Covenant, his spiritual understanding was above that Law, because now that the Reign of Grace was approaching  it was fitting that there should be a shining example of a more magnificent and holy spirituality than was commonly seen under the Law of Moses.

St. Joseph, pray for us. +++

We Celebrate the Tridentine Latin Mass