Adopted Father
Joseph, Mary and Jesus
I don't usually pay much attention to the daily commemoration, the recognition and remembrance of a saint or blessed in the church. What caught my eye today was the title given to Joseph - Guardian of Our Lord.
According to Luke, the man was Joseph, the son of Heli. (Luke 3:23) John briefly mentions him when describing Jesus of Nazareth, (John 1:45) and then again when Jesus tells the people that he is the bread of life. (John 6:42)
All we really know of Joseph comes from the beginning of the gospels of Matthew and Luke.
Whether a carpenter, builder, architect or mason, Joseph had a shop in Nazareth where he provided for his family, raising his wife's son as his own. We know he lived at least until Jesus was twelve, because John tells us he was there when Jesus was found in The Temple.
When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. - Luke 2:43
What I find interesting is how Luke hints at how he knows these things.
Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. - Luke 2:51
It was Mary, the mother of Jesus, who recalled the story and shared it with them. Joseph was most likely dead by then. During those years from twelve to thirty, there is a story. It is the story of Joseph, step-father, role-model, provider, and guardian.
I would love to know more about the man. The genealogies in Matthew and Luke differ on who Joseph's father was, and from which line he descended, so this man of mystery becomes even more mysterious. Was he adopted? Did his father die childless and his mother marry a brother or step-brother? It is this lack of information that I find strangely appealing.
In a way, he could represent all of us. There is nothing about him that would cause us to stop and take notice, until he is called into service for God. He was well into his career before he was to take Mary as his wife, perhaps a well-known figure in his community, a shop-keeper, someone whose reputation was important to his welfare.
Everything changed when Mary became pregnant. I'm sure Joseph was sad and confused. He would have to divorce her and live with the shame.
His family and friends, business acquaintances and customers would have no way of knowing, nor could they believe if they did, why Joseph agreed to stay with Mary. How would that decision impact his reputation? How would he provide for his family?
His is a story of silent devotion. I am sure that he was highly regarded by Mary and Jesus. I find his story, what little we know of it, inspiring. We don't think of Jesus as an adopted son of Joseph, but we could, just as we could see Joseph as the adopted father of Our Lord. I know what it feels like to be accepted and loved in that way. It is the greatest gift a child or grandchild could give, to be an adopted father and grandfather.