GOD WITH US Reading: Matthew 1: 18-25.
The real meaning of ‘angel’ is messenger of God. In the vast majority of the dreams and visions recorded in the Bible, angels feature largely. There were angels ascending and descending from heaven on Jacob’s ladder. An angel appeared to Moses in the middle of the burning bush. And now, in a dream, an angel appears to Joseph, the fiancée of Mary who was to become the mother of Jesus, the Messiah. Joseph must have had a dreadful inner struggle when he learned that Mary was pregnant. He would have wanted to believe her, but what she was saying went counter to all reason, especially, perhaps, the reasoning of a man in love. Matthew tells us that Joseph was a just man, one who did what was right. That speaks volumes. He was also, it seems, a compassionate man. While he couldn’t initially take on board what Mary was saying, and felt he must break the engagement, he did not want he to be harmed in any way, so he decided to do his best to see that the whole matter was hushed up.
While he was in this turmoil, he fell asleep and had a dream. In his dream the messenger of God told him wonderful, strange, unbelievable things, but they all confirmed what Mary had said. Matthew’s gospel has often been described as the gospel for Jewish believers. He links so many events with Old Testament Prophecy, and at the very beginning roots this world transforming event in Jewish history. He quotes from one of the greatest and most revered Jewish Prophets, Isaiah. “ Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us).” Joseph didn’t need any persuading. When he awoke, Matthew says, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. Mary became his wife.
Joseph often seems like a shadowy figure in the background of the gospel story. Yet his role was of vital importance and was indispensable. What shines through is his humility, his kindness, his obedience, his faith, his careful strength, his gentleness, all qualities that he would encourage in the ‘son’ who had been lent to him for a little while. It was he who provided the safe place for Mary to tell her story and be heard. It was he who, along with Mary, created the loving environment for Jesus to be nurtured. It was he who, with a heart tuned into God, recognised when the messenger of God came to him in dreams, and who believed and acted upon what he was told, so that Jesus was protected from the evil machinations of Herod, and grew to fulfil the great redemptive purpose for which he had come into the world.
Mary’s yes, without the support of Joseph would have been practically impossible. God chooses well. In choosing Joseph, he chose the best. The message of Christmas is ‘Immanuel, God with us.’ Let us then give thanks at this season for Mary, yes, but also for Joseph. It was both of them who enabled that message of ‘God with us’ to be presented to the world. And let us also give thanks for all who, throughout the centuries and in our own day, by their faithfulness and their openness to God have encouraged us and affirmed for us that central message of the Good News, “God is with us.”