What's to be done.

Joseph. Misunderstood, overlooked, set aside in the Christmas story. We celebrate the shepherds as the first to hear and share the good news. Mary is venerated for her gentle acceptance and faithful obedience. We sing songs of the strange star-gazers whose persistence got them past Herod and brought them into Jesus’ presence. We even have carols that imagine the reaction of the animals. Joseph doesn’t get much joy – the Rodney Dangerfield of the nativity set.

We imagine him as a carpenter; a person well established in his trade. We quite often picture him as much older than Mary – and it doesn’t take long for him to disappear from Jesus’ story altogether…which is strange, since he is also faithful…and persistent…and full of integrity and honour.

“…he planned to dismiss her quietly…” This was not standard practice for women who had been unfaithful – and here, the imagined infidelity was obvious. Jospeh’s plan was to care for Mary – even as he dismissed her as a potential partner. No disgrace – no public shaming; Jospeh was a man ahead of his time (well ahead of his time.)

Jospeh’s response to the question ‘what must be done?’ was altogether different from the usual understanding. He too was a herald of the radically different kingdom that is coming.

A kingdom where everyone has worth – even those who were experiencing a pregnancy that was ‘out of this world.’ A kingdom where honour is found, not in doing things the way they’ve always been done, but where honour is gained by honouring the newly pregnant – someone without status or privilege or rights. Joseph lives in to this kingdom when he submits to his angelic dream and takes as his partner a woman who would otherwise have been discarded by society. Joseph is the quietest prophet in all of Scripture – saying nothing of consequence, but doing exactly what needs to be done.

 

It's Francis of Assisi who is often credited with the advice to would-be evangelists ‘preach the gospel always – use words if necessary’ but I wonder if Francis didn’t get the idea from Joseph.

What might we learn from this underestimated, often ignored member of the Holy Family?

-        Pay attention to your dreams. God is present in them

-        Conventional wisdom may be common, but it’s not always wise. (do the right thing – even if it’s against the grain)

-        Sometimes the background is the best place to be

-        The best response might just be quiet, determined action.

As you anticipate the days left until Christmas – as you manage and rearrange your ‘to-do’ list this week, keep Joseph in mind.  Honour Jesus by what you do – by how you respond – with quiet faith and righteous determination.