Saturday, December 11, 2004
One More Christmas Note -- Joseph
I really think that Joseph needed a better publicist. I think that he did a really good job in Bethlehem -- the town was booked solid -- don't forget, he didn't have Orbitz or Hotels.com -- but he still managed to get them a place in that stable. Not only that, he saved the money to finance the trip to Egypt -- that was his idea, too. (Of course an angel gets the credit.) To the 21st century observer, the idea that a Jewish family would flee to an Arab country to escape persecution seems delightfully amusing -- who says that nothing ever changes in the Middle East?
Another irony is that they didn't name the baby after Joseph. After all, many generations of Christians named their first-born males after Joseph. I realize that the angel had given directions on the name (although he certainly didn't offer to pay for the kid's upbringing), but I prefer to think that Joseph didn't want centuries of people, when they struck their thumbs with their hammers, to scream and curse in pain, "Joseph!"
Enough kidding. A more serious thought. "Son of God" is all well and good, but the portrayal of Jesus in the Gospels is that of a fully actualized man -- a "stand-up guy" in the best sense of the term. Boys don't become men by accident -- if you don't believe me, take a look around you. Ask some women how many boys they've dated who were masquerading as men -- they'll tell you. Jesus grew into that type of manhood because Joseph was that kind of man. Mary couldn't do it -- he needed the role model, and that was Joseph.
A few years ago, my wife and I were lying on a beach in Cape Cod. There were two couples (late 30's-early 40's) on a nearby blanket, and the women (yes, women -- this wasn't Provincetown) went off somewhere. The two guys were left there, and one of them said to the other that he had looked into the mirror that day, and he was surprised to see his father looking back at him.
My wife and I almost broke up laughing -- because this guy was surprised. OK -- each of us is a new and unique mixture of DNA and life experiences based on our individual choices. But there always comes a time for each guy when he looks in that mirror and sees his father looking back at him. You can't escape it.
If Jesus could love, if Jesus could pray, if Jesus could keep the faith through the Passion -- if Jesus could redeem -- it was because Joseph got the job done.
Another irony is that they didn't name the baby after Joseph. After all, many generations of Christians named their first-born males after Joseph. I realize that the angel had given directions on the name (although he certainly didn't offer to pay for the kid's upbringing), but I prefer to think that Joseph didn't want centuries of people, when they struck their thumbs with their hammers, to scream and curse in pain, "Joseph!"
Enough kidding. A more serious thought. "Son of God" is all well and good, but the portrayal of Jesus in the Gospels is that of a fully actualized man -- a "stand-up guy" in the best sense of the term. Boys don't become men by accident -- if you don't believe me, take a look around you. Ask some women how many boys they've dated who were masquerading as men -- they'll tell you. Jesus grew into that type of manhood because Joseph was that kind of man. Mary couldn't do it -- he needed the role model, and that was Joseph.
A few years ago, my wife and I were lying on a beach in Cape Cod. There were two couples (late 30's-early 40's) on a nearby blanket, and the women (yes, women -- this wasn't Provincetown) went off somewhere. The two guys were left there, and one of them said to the other that he had looked into the mirror that day, and he was surprised to see his father looking back at him.
My wife and I almost broke up laughing -- because this guy was surprised. OK -- each of us is a new and unique mixture of DNA and life experiences based on our individual choices. But there always comes a time for each guy when he looks in that mirror and sees his father looking back at him. You can't escape it.
If Jesus could love, if Jesus could pray, if Jesus could keep the faith through the Passion -- if Jesus could redeem -- it was because Joseph got the job done.
# posted by Bill @ 5:07 PM 
