Joseph was a just man and he could not understand how Mary was with child when they had not yet come together. He did not know what to do. He thought that the best thing would be to divorce Mary quietly. After he had discerned that this was the best solution, God spoke to him in a dream through the voice of an angel who told him: "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."
That must have taken faith to believe in the dream. However, Joseph believed and took Mary and then his life was really changed. The Little Black Book speaks of the messiness of it all, but out of this mess was going to come the beautiful story of the Savior's birth.
Joseph is a silent man. We do not have even one word of his. This is something to think about, too. He was silent and obedient.
Now to prepare a bit for the 4th Sunday of Lent, the Readings are: 2 Chronicles 36: 14-16, 19-23; Ephesians, 2:4-10; and John 3:14-21.
In the Gospel, Jesus says to Nicodemus: "Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish, but might have eternal life."
Lord, help us to always believe; increase our faith. We call out "Lord, I do believe; help my unbelief." St. Joseph was a silent man, but a man of faith.
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