Pastor’s Notes

I was born in a little country parish named for St. Joseph and have always had a soft spot for him. Joseph “the righteous” appears second fiddle to the Madonna on most Christmas cards. While devotion to Mary has been widespread in the church’s history, Joseph seems a little neglected.

St. Mathew’s Christmas story tells the other perspective. Joseph’s role in our salvation story does not detract from Mary – He was after all her husband. The celebrations of Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe and Christmas midnight Mass itself honor the incarnation of God’s beloved son from her side. Marriage (I am told) is certainly full of surprises. Joseph, for example, had planned a peaceful life in Nazareth with Mary and their children; he looked forward to running his carpentry business.   Because Joseph truly loved Mary, he knew that, with God’s help, they could handle whatever life brought them. Little did St. Joseph expect that his gentle, little Mary would turn his life upside down!

Before the marriage, she quietly tells a confused and puzzled Joseph that she is pregnant. Mary had kept the rules. This whole situation was embarrassing and humiliating. Just when everything seems hopeless, Joseph starts to see things as God sees them. It takes a dream. After an angel’s visit corrects his vision, Joseph takes a great leap and marries Mary anyway.

Joseph is not really that odd. Angels and dreams are needed to move human beings beyond business logic and the Law to the freedom of God’s children. Many people have attuned their ears to God. Like a radio, we just need to tune in to God’s frequency. Other folks turn off their spiritual radio. For those who are receptive, God will offer words, thoughts, ideas, desires, and motivation. “Inspirations” are his gift to serious dreamers. It happens all the time.

Joseph was that kind of the dreamer. He took his internal world seriously. Joseph tuned in to them daily; Mary heard them; we can, too. It might take a measure of faith to believe that those wild inspirations come from God, yet the proof is in the pudding. Joseph was obedient to that voice. He simply married his pregnant girl friend. He took the child and his mother and fled into Egypt. He brought them home when it was safe. Joseph the protector helped birth the church.

Advent is about dreaming a gentler world, a more human one. Joseph’s dreams changed the course of history. Ours can too. Dream with us these Christmas days.

A gentle week,
Fr. Michael Weldon, OFM