Better to Remain Silent
Mar. 19: Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Joseph is never quoted in the Bible (although we can assume, based on today’s Gospel, that he did tell Mary the name of the baby she was carrying). It does make you wonder what kind of conversations he had with Jesus, though.
Reading 1
2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16
The LORD spoke to Nathan and said: “Go, tell my servant David, ‘When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’”
King David is the greatest king in the history of Israel, and yet, he was still a man. He still sinned, he still died. But God assures this fallible human being that someone will come from his descendants, and that person will rule forever.
David wanted to build a house for God, but instead, God is building a house for him. Because we can’t really give God anything; we can only accept the gifts He gives us.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
R. (37) The son of David will live for ever.
The promises of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness,
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. The son of David will live for ever.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.”
R. The son of David will live for ever.
“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.’
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.”
R. The son of David will live for ever.
This Psalm was sung after one of David’s defeats. God made a promise that David’s line would last forever, so instead of despairing, the people sing God’s praise. They hold out hope for a savior, because they have faith that God will keep His promise.
Reading 2
Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22
Brothers and sisters: It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, as it is written, I have made you father of many nations. He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become the father of many nations, according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be. That is why it was credited to him as righteousness.
We live in a literate society, and expect important things to be written down. But that wasn’t always the case. Logically, salvation can’t come solely through the Law, because not everyone had access to the Law. We can’t assume Abraham1 is lost, simply because the Law didn’t exist yet.
Abraham doesn’t need a written contract; God made a covenant with him. Abraham has faith that God won’t break that covenant. We can have that same hope.
Verse Before the Gospel
Ps 84:5
Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord;
they never cease to praise you.
There’s nowhere else we can have hope, except in God.
Gospel
Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.
Now 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.”
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
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, but the words weren’t important enough for Luke to record. 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.
Not to mention the other patriarchs and matriarchs.