A Man of Few Words
Dec. 18: Monday of the Third Week of Advent
Did you know Joseph never says a word anywhere in the Bible? That’s weird, considering his foster Son is responsible for more quotes than probably any other human being. But holiness doesn’t come from words; it’s what we do that counts.
Also, we have to be careful what we say.
Reading 1
Jer 23:5-8
Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; As king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name they give him: "The LORD our justice."
Therefore, the days will come, says the LORD, when they shall no longer say, "As the LORD lives, who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt"; but rather, "As the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of the house of Israel up from the land of the north"– and from all the lands to which I banished them; they shall again live on their own land.
Jeremiah is contrasting the Messiah with the current king, who’s very weak. His name, Zedekiah, translates to “The Lord is justice.” Jeremiah says the future king will live up to his name. He foresees a time when the Exodus from Egypt is no longer the greatest thing God has done for His people.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous deeds.
And blessed forever be his glorious name;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Notice how much this Psalm focuses on what God does. The psalmist is not at all concerned with God’s words, but His actions. “He alone does wondrous deeds.”
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Leader of the House of Israel,
giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai:
come to rescue us with your mighty power!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We hear about God talking to His servants through angels, which is great, but we can hear God’s voice whenever we want by reading the books He gave us.
Gospel
Mt 1:18-25
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she 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. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us."
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.
When Joseph discovers that Mary is pregnant, he doesn’t want to say anything. He knows the Law says he must divorce her, but saying anything about it will just make things worse. Joseph plans to do what’s required of him quietly.
After the angel speaks to him, Joseph doesn’t talk back. I’m sure he had a conversation with Mary,1 but the words weren’t important enough for Luke to record.2 What is important is what Joseph did. He took care of Mary and Jesus, as a good husband and (foster) father should.
Anybody can say the right thing. We’re called on to do the right thing.
It was Zechariah, not Joseph, who was struck dumb, which we’ll read about later this week.
Or maybe even for Mary to remember?