Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him

18 DECEMBER (Mt 1,18-24)

Jesus is both the result of God and humanity, because in his person He is true God and true man, perfect in his divinity and perfect in his humanity. Since he is a real fruit of God and man, man is also called to cooperate in his birth. A man and a woman are called to collaborate with God. Mary and Joseph. We know that Mary was called directly by God through the Angel Gabriel, and her yes was immediate. On the contrary, Joseph was not called directly, but indirectly. He was put before the fait accompli of the virginal conception of his bride, but without him knowing anything about it. He ignores the mystery; however, he must cooperate for its realization.
Joseph is a just man. He does not want to expose the Virgin to a stoning. He finds a humane solution, which is good in itself, but it does not respect the will of God. It is not the solution according to the divine plan of salvation. But it is always this way. Starting from the personal mind, even if it is perfect, and starting from the mind of God, it is not the same thing. There is an abyss in the solutions. Those of our minds are according to the flesh, although they are good and just. Those that come from the mind of God are of true salvation, not only for us, but for all of mankind.

Joseph must move from justice to obedience. Since this step is impossible that is fulfilled by natural means – man is unable naturally to run through this course – God must necessarily intervene and ask man to accept the mystery in his life and to hand himself over totally, without reservation to it. Mary must not be divorced in secret, repudiated with an act hidden to the eyes of the world. On the contrary, she must be accepted as the true bride, celebrating the holy wedding with her, but respecting her mystery which is of eternal virginity. Joseph must give up the desire to be a father according to the flesh because he must be a father, a true father, according to the spirit. He will give Jesus the legal offspring.

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.” 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.

By nature, man is incapable of obeying the history of salvation, becoming part of it; a builder through the gift of his life to the mystery of redemption that the Lord always wants to carry out with the creature made by Him in His image and likeness. History alone is not enough, there is a need of revelation, the Word that communicates him the vocation to realize, carry out and fulfill. To the word heard a man can respond with the perfect obedience, or shutting himself in his flesh and refusing the gift of the self to his God and Lord. In the full and lasting yes he becomes a part of the mystery and works salvation. In his no, man is excluded from the mystery and might in no way cooperate with God for the salvation of himself and of his brothers.

As to Joseph, to each of us is asked to open up to the true revelation of God, not to walk alone with the personal mind and heart. Natural justice does not produce divine, eternal and universal salvation. Today, this is the saddest of the poverties of men: his closure in his human shell, having he become impermeable to all divine light that God always sends down upon him. If you we do not open our hearts and minds to the light of God, we will be doomed to stay on the edge of the mystery.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints make us true children of light.