January 3: Second Sunday after Christmas
Jeremiah 31:7-14
Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a
Matthew 2:13-15,19-23
or Luke 2:41-52
or Matthew 2:1-12
Psalm 84 or 84:1-8
I am not sure that we give Joseph of Nazareth, the earthly father of Jesus, enough credit in our modern times. This is somewhat understandable given his relatively brief appearance in only two of the gospels, neither of which portray him as ever saying a word. In fact, Western Christians in general didn’t catch on to what was special about Joseph until about the 1400’s. But when I read about Joseph in the gospel account from Matthew for today, the third Sunday after Christmas, I am filled with awe for this simple, humble man.
Because unlike Mary, who was described by Luke as actually being visited by the angel concerning her role in the Messiah’s birth, we are told by Matthew that Joseph only received the angel’s instructions in his dreams. Four times Matthew describes Joseph as being visited by an angel in his dreams: once to let him know that it would be OK to take Mary as his wife, and three times to tell him to take Mary and Jesus either out of or into the land of Israel. And four times Joseph follows the instructions he is given while dreaming; directions that must have seemed preposterous at the time. Marry an already-pregnant woman? Take her and her baby to a strange land whose rulers used to enslave his people? Now bring her back home? Joseph must have felt bewildered and afraid at all he was asked to do.
Yet he is portrayed by Matthew as following all the angel’s instructions unquestioningly and without complaint. In other words, he not only believed what the angel told him, he did as the angel asked: he stood by Mary despite the fact he knew he wasn’t the father of her child, and he kept her and Jesus safe even though it meant long, treacherous journeys – to Bethlehem, to Egypt, and back to Israel. Joseph showed tremendous trust in God’s plans because, even though he couldn’t have understood the full ramifications of what he was being asked to do, he still did as he was told. Joseph, in his faithfulness and his willingness to be a protector for Mary and Jesus, models for us the Lord’s faithfulness and protection of Israel spoken of in Jeremiah 31 today. We would do well to pay attention to such a man.