Solemnity of Joseph, Husband of Mary
Fr. Albert
St. Peter Catholic Church, New Iberia
Mary “was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.” We have much to learn from St. Joseph as a model man, husband, and Christian, but what exactly does this verse mean? How is he just, why does he make that decision?
Joseph is righteous, meaning he knows and follows the law of God given to Moses and the Jews. The law required that a woman who committed adultery should be stoned. At the same time, however, the Jewish faith greatly extolled the example of God’s mercy. The word “yet” leads us to make some assumptions about what Joseph was thinking. Really, that word could just as easily be translated as “and” Joseph was “righteous and unwilling to expose her to shame.”
The real question is this “what did Joseph really think about Mary’s situation?” Did Mary not explain her situation to him? Did he believe her or not? If he really believed she had committed adultery, and then lied to him on top of that, why was he so eager to protect her?
There are two opinions on this. Some believe that Mary either didn’t tell Joseph or he didn’t believe her – they assume Joseph thought she had committed adultery. These would say Joseph was righteous “yet unwilling to expose her.” On the other hand, there are saints like Jerome and Aquinas who seem to think that Mary told Joseph about that angel and that Joseph believed her. They argue that he wanted to divorce her quietly in order distance himself from something so miraculous – that his righteousness was also a great humility. These would say that Joseph was righteous “and unwilling to expose her” because he didn’t want to give others the wrong impression.
In a sense, could it not be both? Surely Joseph and Mary would have talked and Mary would have explained. It seems unlikely that Joseph would assume Mary was lying. So, he probably did respond out of humility. At the same time, however, Joseph was human and there may well have been some doubt. He may have been hedging his bets. All human beings experience mixed motivations and uncertain opinions. By divorcing her quietly, he was in the clear either way and didn’t risk hurting her either.
If you look at the Angel’s message, this makes sense. The first thing the angel says is “Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home” as if to address his concerns about being so close to this miracle. But, the Angel also puts any of his doubts to rest by assuring him that “it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.”
Like Joseph, when we are faced with mixed motivations, when we are unsure of what to believe, we still have to make a decision. We should learn from Joseph’s approach. He is righteous, he is just, and he is careful to avoid bringing harm to another from this decision. He makes his plan and acts with a trust in God. With good will and good intentions, Joseph is also fundamentally open to God’s guidance. Seeing this, God sends his angel to correct his decision. If we are unsure, but we act to the best of our ability and maintain openness, God will nudge us back onto the right path.
The real trick is what Joseph does then. As soon as Joseph learns that his plan is wrong, he drops it. He hears God’s will, then he gets up and does it.