Where is Joe?

It really never struck me until this past Epiphany that Joe is not mentioned in the story of the Magi’s visit (Matthew 2:1-12). Instead, the Matthew tells us that the Magi found “the Child with Mary His mother.” Where was Joe? Did Matthew forget that he was there? Perhaps he was out working or looking for work. Who knows...

But I think this little detail tells us a little about Joe. He was not a “helicopter parent” nor a “jealous husband”. He trusted Mary to be alone with Jesus, and even more than this, he trusted God to keep them both safe. In other words, Joe knew that God did not require him to be the family guardian when he could not; God does not expect the same of us. He knows our limitations, and He provides for us when we are unable.

Just imagine the surprise of Joe when he returned home to find three unexpected visitors who have brought gold frankincense and myrrh. I imagine that Mary greeted Joe at the door, and the first thing that Joe asks is “What’s happening here?”. To which Mary calmly responds, “Oh, you know, they just wanted to bring some gifts for Jesus.”

Perhaps another detail of this story that tells us a bit about his character is the final verse, “having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.” It seems to me that the Magi stayed the night with Mary, Joe, and Jesus. Jerusalem was less than a day’s walk away from Bethlehem, and so it only makes sense that they stayed the night in Bethlehem. Joe was hospitable and welcomed the strangers to stay the night. In the morning they would be on their way - just not back to Jerusalem.

The Eighth Day

Happy New Year! May it be richly blessed!

By law, Jewish boys were circumcised on the eighth day of their birth. Today, on January 1, the eighth day of Jesus’ Nativity, we celebrate this occasion. But why? For two reasons, I suppose.

1. Circumcision brought Jesus into both sides of the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 17:1-22). He always was God, but not always man.
2. This would have been an official sign of paternity on the part of Joe. Thus, this occasion also marks Jesus’ entrance into both sides of the Davidic covenant as well (2 Samuel 7:8-16).

Both are effected by Joe. As God accepted Abraham and David into everlasting covenants, so Joe accepted, as descendant of both Abraham and David, God into everlasting covenant. 

Today is also the day that we recall the bestowal of the Name of Jesus. Here is a flash back to a reflection on the major significance of the little detail of Matthew 1:25, “Who do you say that I am?”

Will He look like me?

"What will He look like?" I'm sure this was a question that Joe must have asked himself over and over again during the final days of Mary's pregnancy with Jesus. The question, "Will He look like me?", probably caused Joe some anxiety too. "If He happens to look like me, will others think that He is my son? Will they not believe me when I say that Mary is still a virgin? How could I expect them to understand if I myself do not understand how all this is possible?"

Now, imagine... 

It is a little past midnight. Mary and Joe are in a cave with animals all around with all the smells and sounds this entails. The only light and heat they have is from a little twig fire that crackles just a few feet away. Mary has been experiencing contractions for the last several hours, and the time of delivery is here. Joe is the only other person she trusts and permits to assist her in delivering her Child, but he has never assisted in the delivery of a child - let alone this Child! With the temptation to fear that he will mess-up and cause the death of his wife and her Child pressing hard upon him, he cries out to the Father in a short but urgent prayer:

God, come to me quickly! 

You are my help and deliverer. 

Lord, do not delay!

-Psalm 70:6

Now Joe turns his full attention to his wife as he is in anguish in seeing his beloved wife suffer the pains of giving birth. The delivery happens, and before he knows it, he is holding this crying newborn king in his hands. Joe is the first to hold Him -he is the first to see His Face- and he is astonished to see that this little Boy looks just like him. He is stunned. He does not know what to say or think. He can only look upon this Child with love, and he begins to experience that weird mix of crying and laughing at the same time. 

He knows that this Child is not his by nature; instead, he knows that he has received this Child as a gift from God through Mary. Mary! He became so enraptured with this Child that he actually forgot about her! While all these thoughts and emotions are passing through Joe, Mary just laid there and looked with patient love upon her beloved husband and Son. Joe looks up at Mary, and with tear-filled eyes, he hands the Child to her. 

The Human Face of God is now seen! God is with us! Come, let us adore Him!

Christmas is Coming

Yesterday and today, we have heard the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew at Mass. Yesterday, the Gospel of Mass was the genealogy (Matt. 1:1-17), and today, the Gospel of Mass is the Annunciation of Joe (Matthew 1:18-25). These two readings begin the octave of preparation for Christmas each year. Why?

First, I think this is one way in which we recognize the real importance of Joe in the story of the Gospel. In God’s Province, he was the one through whom God would fulfill His promise to David to set on his throne a son who would rule forever (2 Sam. 7:12-13).

Second, this marks the beginning of the recreation of the world. Recall that the Book of Genesis begins with two stories of the “beginnings” (Genesis 1:1ff, and Genesis 2:4ff). The first is like a litany, and the second is like a narrative. Same with Matthew’s opening. As God chose to prepare the world for Adam in Genesis, so the Father chose to prepare Joe for Jesus in Matthew. As Adam was brought forth from the soil, so Jesus was brought forth from Joe. As Adam was to have dominion over the soil, so Jesus is to have dominion over Joe.

We are approaching Christmas, or rather, Christmas is approaching us. Like Joe, are we allowing ourselves to be prepared for Him who is to have dominion over us? In the midst of the busyness of preparing for the day, are we regularly resting like Joe in prayer and listening to the Voice of God speaking to us? Shhhh. Christmas is the celebration of the Incarnation of the Word (John 1:1-14). Do you hear what I hear? Do you hear the Word spoken to you - within you?

Christmas is coming! Come, let us adore Him!

Joe at the Manger

This past Sunday, Pope Francis sent an Apostolic Letter in which he spoke about “the meaning and importance of the Nativity Scene”. I found paragraph #7 worth sharing here in part:

Gradually, we come to the cave, where we find the figures of Mary and Joseph... At Mary’s side, shown protecting the Child and his Mother, stands Saint Joseph. He is usually depicted with staff in hand, or holding up a lamp. Saint Joseph plays an important role in the life of Jesus and Mary. He is the guardian who tirelessly protects his family. When God warned him of Herod’s threat, he did not hesitate to set out and flee to Egypt (cf. Mt 2:13-15). And once the danger had passed, he brought the family back to Nazareth, where he was to be the first teacher of Jesus as a boy and then as a young man. Joseph treasured in his heart the great mystery surrounding Jesus and Mary his spouse; as a just man, he entrusted himself always to God’s will, and put it into practice.

Preparing for Christmas (yes, already)

When I learned about this brand new Advent reflection on Joe written by Fr. Mark Toups, I knew I had to share it with all of you.

I already bought mine and I encourage you to do the same. As Fr Mark said in a short introductory video, if we prepare for a day, then  nothing will change, but if we prepare for a Person, then we will change. Through this Advent reflection we will be able to prepare for Jesus as Joe did.

You can purchase the book (you can also purchase along with it a DVD of accompanying videos) at Ascension Press. Perhaps, you might buy it for someone you think needs to encounter Joe.

John and Joe

Today, we celebrate the Feast of St. John the Evangelist. The Gospel for today’s Mass is the scene from the Gospel according to John where John and Peter arrive at Jesus’ tomb and find the burial clothes folded. My pastor made a very interesting point that I had never heard before in his homily at this morning’s Mass; he attributed the connection of the “swaddling clothes” that Jesus was wrapped in as a newborn (Luke 2:7) with the burial clothes mentioned in today’s Gospel. That got me thinking.

In John’s Gospel, Joseph of Aramathea provided for Jesus his burial clothes (John 19:39-40). Is it possible that Joe provided the swaddling clothes for Jesus at his birth? Is it merely coincidental that both are named Jesus? Granted this is pure speculation, but it’s interesting to consider nonetheless. In both accounts,

Jesus is:

• cared for by His Mother who is assisted by a man named Joseph 
• laid in a cave
• sought to be killed (or remain killed) by Jewish soldiers
• emerges victorious from the cave after an apparent defeat

And the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh corresponding to Jesus’ role as king, priest and victim on the cross.