Building St. Joseph's Back Story

By Lou Occhi

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121821.cfm
Jeremiah 23:5-8
Matthew 1:18-25

In the first line of today’s Gospel we hear that Mary was betrothed to Joseph. In our day betrothed is taken as being engaged. In the time of Jesus, Mary and Joseph would actually have already been married. The Gospel goes on to say that before they lived together Mary was with child. This was a terrible situation for Joseph. He loved Mary and her pregnancy was beyond his comprehension. If people found out that Mary’s pregnancy was not through Joseph she could be stoned to death. Joseph decided he would quietly divorce Mary in order that her life and the life of her baby would be spared. Obviously, there has to be a back story to this whole situation. That is what we will talk about today.

According to tradition Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne, brought her to be raised in the temple in Jerusalem. There, she was taught and housed from the age of three to fourteen. Now we move on to legend. At the age of fourteen Mary was to be given to a man in marriage. Since Mary was of the house of David her husband should also be of the same house. The high priest was told by God that all the eligible men from the house of David should bring a rod. The rod of the one chosen by God would flower. It turns out that Joseph’s rod flowered. With that sign Mary and Joseph were wed. According to Jewish custom the newly weds would spend the first three days getting to know each other. During this time they would talk and get to know each other’s traits and expectations. 

During their discussions Mary reveals that she had taken a vow of chastity at a very young age. By Divine providence Joseph had taken the same vow as a child. None of this is documented, but it certainly sheds light on how they were married and, yet, had not consummated their marriage. After the marriage Mary and Joseph moved back to their home in Nazareth.

None of this is documented, but it certainly sheds light
on how they were married and, yet,
had not consummated their marriage. 

This brings us to the Annunciation. The angel greeted Mary by saying “Hail, Full of Grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.” Mary was greatly disturbed by this greeting. Mary, being very humble did not understand what the angel meant. He addressed her by using the word hail, which can be taken as a sort of salute. Then the angel uses the term Full of Grace. Normally a name would follow the word hail. In other words, the angel addressed Mary by a special name, Full of Grace, indicating that she was completely without sin. Of course, she was disturbed. What could the angel mean? Then the angel tells her that the power of the Holy Spirit would overshadow her and she would bear a son and he will be called Emmanuel, Son of the Most High. She asks how this can be since she does not know man. She knows Joseph, her husband, but they had vowed to remain celibate. 

All this was to fulfill the prophecy that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. Joseph knows nothing about any of this. The bible does not tell us why Mary would not tell Joseph. I imagine that Mary would have trouble describing what happened and that Joseph would not believe her.

The angel also told Mary that her older cousin Elizabeth was in the sixth month of her pregnancy. Immediately after the Annunciation the bible tells us that Mary went to visit Elizabeth. I always imagined that Elizabeth lived somewhere close to Nazareth. In reality, Elizabeth lived in Jerusalem 80 to 90 miles from Nazareth. Due to the dangers of traveling that far to Jerusalem, there were caravans that would take groups of people on this difficult journey. Women were not to travel alone in those days, so Joseph accompanied her there and then returned to his work in Nazareth. We hear nothing about Joseph being disturbed about making such a sacrifice. He was a better man than me. I would have griped the whole way there and back.

Mary stayed with Elizabeth until John was born and presented in the temple. The visit with Elizabeth is a great story for a future reflection. After the birth of John Joseph would have to travel by caravan to Jerusalem and accompany Mary back to Nazareth. Again we hear nothing about Joseph taking this arduous journey. Two or three months after their return to Nazareth, Mary was beginning to show her pregnancy. This brings us to today’s gospel. Joseph still did not know about Mary’s encounter with the angel. What could possibly have been going through his mind. He and Mary had taken a joint vow of celibacy. 

Joseph, being a devout Jew knew that the Messiah would come from a virgin birth. If I lived in 1 BC, I would have thought that a man would marry a virgin. Then she would become pregnant and give birth to a male child. That child would grow up to be the Messiah. That is the way it worked for David and it would be the same for the Messiah. Mary’s pregnancy had to have been caused by natural means. Did something happen to her while she was in Jerusalem? Was she unfaithful to him? All this was simply incomprehensible to him. Still Joseph continued to work and support his wife. Mary continued to do all her duties of tending to Joseph, maintaining their residence, preparing the meals, etc. Mary loved Joseph and was in just as much turmoil as Joseph. How does she explain her situation to Joseph? It was all too incredible to believe. Joseph was heartbroken and yet he still loved Mary. 

Since both Joseph and Mary were faithful to God each was praying for the other that this situation be resolved. God hears their prayers and sends an angel to reveal the source of Mary’s pregnancy to Joseph in his dreams. When Joseph awakens, he is filled with the grace of God and fully understands what our Lord has done. His eyes were opened to the true meaning of virgin birth. I would have loved to see the encounter between Mary and Joseph once they realize how blessed they were and could talk freely about the coming of the Son of God into their family.

We learn from the relationship of Mary and Joseph the importance of family. Here we have the mother and stepfather of the Messiah experiencing very difficult problems. They had to deal with hard work, difficult living conditions, and confusing marital situations. Yet they never gave up on each other. Their faith in God and their love for each other carried them through every difficult situation.

I would like to close with a few words about St. Joseph. He is one of the great saints recorded in the gospels yet is never quoted. We know that he died prior to the crucifixion of Jesus. It is assumed that he died in the presence of Jesus and Mary and that he had a happy death. What better way to leave this earthly life than in the presence of Jesus and Mary. One account of his death comes from the book “The Mystical City of God” written by Venerable Mary of Jesus of Agreda. The episode of Joseph’s death as related by our Blessed Mother in a private revelation to Mary of Agreda is as follows:

Then this man of God, turning toward Christ, our Lord, in profoundest reverence, wished to kneel before Him. But the sweetest Jesus, coming near, received him in his arms, where, reclining his head upon Him, Joseph said: “My highest Lord and God, Son of the eternal Father, Creator and Redeemer of the World, give thy blessing to thy servant and the works of thy hand; pardon, O most merciful King, the faults which I have committed in thy service and intercourse. I extol and magnify Thee and render eternal and heartfelt thanks to Thee for having, in thy ineffable condescension, chosen me to be the spouse of thy true Mother; let thy greatness and glory be my thanksgiving for all eternity.” 

The Redeemer of the world gave him his benediction, saying: “My father, rest in peace and in the grace of my eternal Father and mine; and to the Prophets and Saints, who await thee in limbo, bring the joyful news of the approach of their redemption.” At these words of Jesus, and reclining in his arms, the most fortunate Saint Joseph expired and the Lord himself closed his eyes.