Strange are God’s ways beyond human comprehension. Mary, who was
engaged to Joseph, gave birth to Jesus. Mysterious is his birth contrary to the
natural order of begetting a child. For, as St. Matthew states, “she was found
with child through the power of the Holy Spirit” (1:18).
No doubt, Mary was the most highly favoured human being. The
angel Gabriel delivered to her God’s message that she would conceive and bear a
son. The same angel brought to Joseph a message in a dream to take Mary as his
wife. Both of them did exactly what God had commanded of them, believing that
for God everything is possible. Joseph and Mary bowed down readily to God’s
will.
When her delivery time had come, Joseph and Mary were in search
of a room; every innkeeper turned them away with a “no place” answer. And, lo,
Mary gave birth to her son in a manger, surrounded by angels, shepherds,
animals, plants and trees. The angels sang joyfully “Glory to God and Peace on
Earth.” The shepherds, seeing the baby laid down in a manger, glorified God for
the gift of the Saviour.
God chose to communicate with Joseph through dreams. He was
directed to name the child “Jesus” (Mt. 1:20). Soon after his birth, Herod felt
threatened of being dislodged from his throne on account of the new born king.
Hence, he ordered the massacre of all the males of two years of age. Joseph was
then instructed by the angel in a dream to leave Bethlehem with the child and
Mary at night for Egypt where he remained until the death of King Herod.
Again God’s angel gave him the news in a dream about Herod’s
death, and told him to return to Israel along with the child and his mother. On
his return journey, Joseph fearing that Archelaus, the successor and son of
King Herod, might kill his son, was warned in a dream to settle down in
Nazareth of Galilee.
To fulfil their parental responsibility, forty days after his
birth, they took him to the temple and offered him to the Lord by placing him
in the hands of Simeon who acknowledged him as a light to the whole world.
Simeon also made to Mary a startling revelation that her heart would be pierced
with a sword, foretelling, thus, Mary’s passion at the feet of the cross on
which her son would be nailed.
As God-loving parents, Joseph and Mary never failed in their
duty of upbringing their only son. When he was twelve years old, they took him
for the feast of the Passover in Jerusalem where he was found missing. At this
juncture, their anxiety is unimaginable. They went helter-skelter to search him
for three days. In their affliction, they supported and comforted each other
until they found him in the temple questioning and answering to the doctors of
the Law.
A mother always takes the side of the erring child. Mary too did
so but she asserted herself as she reprimanded him saying, “Son, why have you
done this to us? Your father and I have been searching for you in sorrow” (Lk
2:48).
Luke, the Evangelist, then comments on this incident: “He
(Jesus) went down with them, and was obedient to them.” Further, he adds,
“Jesus progressed in wisdom and age and grace before God and men” (2: 51–52).
What a splendid example to our children.
Joseph and Mary poured on their son lot of affection, caressing
and attention. After all, he was their blue-eyed boy. Joseph held him up in his
arms, kissed his cheeks, taught him to walk and, later on, carpentry skills in
his workshop. No doubt, Mary nursed him, fed him with nourishing food and
taught him prayers and hymns.
As the head of a family, Joseph, by his sweated labour and
limited earnings, provided for the needs of Mary and the child Jesus. They are
indeed a role-model to our parents.
The birth of Jesus brings to the humanity an immense joy and
wonder. It enkindles in us a hope for a better world devoid of violence,
injustice, discrimination, intolerance but rather renewed with peace,
solidarity and brotherhood rooted in love, for God is love.
A
joyful Christmas to all!
