By Tony Joe:
Bible Study for Saint Matthew 1:18-24:
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 1:18-24:
Bible Study for Saint Matthew 1:18-24:
Who were the earliest Christians? Peter? John? Or other followers of Jesus who somehow went unmentioned in even one of the four Gospels?
Or was it John the Baptist, who paved the way for Jesus? Despite his later doubts, and despite never being called a 'Christian', he surely must rank as an early Christian.
But there are two, even more earlier Christians. In fact, the earliest Christians. None can ever claim to be earlier than them.
Yes, I am referring to Joseph and Mary.
And each Christmas brings back a poignant or haunting message from these two earliest Christians, that the Christmas celebrations and fanfare can't hide.
But more about it later, after we consider one more specialty of this couple.
They were not just the earliest two Christians.
I am sure no one will ever have a doubt that for many many years, they were the closest Christians to Jesus.
The only two human beings who ever walked this earth, on whom Jesus was totally dependent on for quite a few years.
We can theologically argue that the Son of God was not really dependent on these two humans, but that is not true at all, as Jesus was also a crying, hungry infant once, and that dependency on His parents, is how God intended it.
So, have no doubts, Mary and Joseph were the closest people to Jesus.
Now, back to the haunting message I mentioned.
What did God have in store for these two people who were closest to Christ? Rapture? Or delight? At least, bliss?
Nope. What the coming of Jesus brought to them, first, was shock and heartbreak.
Which young bride would not tremble to divulge to her man that she is pregnant without his knowledge?
Which young groom would not be shattered to hear this news from his fiancee?
Mary must have trembled, and Joseph must have been shattered. They were ordinary, poor human beings after all.
But what differentiates their response is their extraordinary gracefulness in dealing with God's sudden decision in their lives.
Mary doesn't hide the fact that she is pregnant, nor does she try to run away from the marriage or her community.
She is driven by faith, and takes her chances with Joseph, through full disclosure of her peculiar situation.
She doesn't want to mislead Joseph, regarding the Child's father, in any way, even in the future.
But what if he rejects her or shames her in order to save his name? Well, that is a risk Mary would take.
She takes one step at a time. Pausing and pondering at each step to ascertain whether it is indeed God's wish, but once sure, she is decisive in her actions.
And look at Joseph's gracefulness or refinement.
He is described in the Gospel as not only just; rather his compassion for his would-be wife is revealed.
Like all young grooms his age, he doesn't want to take up a pregnant girl as his wife; but unlike most grooms his age, he would never ever shame her publicly.
He is an ordinary man, a carpenter by profession, but is caring and sensitive to other's feelings, and that is why he decides to walk off from the planned marriage privately, without divulging the reason why he did so.
And see how God strengthens this gentle soul. An angel visits him in a dream, and confirms what Mary has already told him.
Then, there is no dilly-dallying by Joseph. He doesn't ask his family or best friend for a second opinion.
He springs into action, and the rest is history. Something that shaped the future of mankind.
But the trials of Joseph and Mary wouldn't stop there.
Due to the suddenly imposed census by Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar, the couple had to travel around 80 miles from Nazareth where they lived, to reach Bethlehem where they had to register for the census.
The manual laborer that Joseph was, the couple was poor, and they had to walk this distance through the Jordan Valley and the Judean Desert, that too when Mary was near her delivery period!
Scholars, today, estimate that they had to walk for close to ten days to cover that distance!
They were not spared this hardship by God, just because Jesus was inside Mary's womb.
Even worse fate awaited them on reaching Bethlehem.
Pain began for Mary, but they could get no inn to spend the night.
Why? Most probably, Joseph must have depleted his little savings during the journey, staying at various towns en-route to Bethlehem. We don't know.
Whatever the specific reason, take this straight - God's own Son is with them, but God wouldn't arrange even an inn for the parents so that the mother could deliver this Son comfortably!
That is how they would end up in a stable, and newborn Jesus in the manger.
How could Mary & Joseph put up with that decision by God! Have you ever thought of that?
There could be only one possibility - a dawning realization in them, that through this decision, God was becoming one with the poorest of the poor, who can't even find an inn in their ancestral town to give birth to their child.
But coming to think of it, how could a just God do otherwise in this wretched world where the rich ignore the poor.
How many inns and homes in Bethlehem might have been knocked fervently by Joseph that night? Quite a few maybe, before he understood that it was not to be like that.
If some kind family in Bethlehem had agreed to take them in, they would have entered history, but apparently none cared for this poor couple.
But through these turmoils, God also gives them enough hope to latch on to. There are some special visitors. The shepherds from the valley where the angels sang, as well as the Magi - the three Wise Kings from far - do visit the tiny Son of God.
Soon after, it is back to hometown for Joseph & Mary, and a delightful life with the baby, right?
Nope. It is time to flee for their baby's dear life as the paranoid King Herod is about to kill all newborn babies in Bethlehem, in a desperate bid to finish off infant Jesus.
This great escape to Egypt by the fresh dad, the first-time mom, and the nursing infant is at least of 40 miles distance through dangerous and unfamiliar terrain.
Again God doesn't spare them this terrorizing experience, except for forewarning Joseph about Herod's wrathful action in a dream.
It would be a few years before they could return to Israel following Herod's death.
How did Joseph feed the family in the foreign land of Egypt? How else, but requesting for carpentry work in a land that didn't understand his language.
But all through the ordeal, the Gospels don't record any rift between Mary and Joseph regarding boy Jesus, finances, discomforts, depression, or anything else!
They don't fault or fight each other, despite going through such turmoil.
Contrast these earliest Christians who were closest to Jesus, with ourselves, the Christians of today.
Aren't we all sometimes guilty of whining at the slightest discomfort or inconvenience?
When we contemplate on the difference between the response of Mary and Joseph with our typical response to hardships, one thing becomes evident.
They had extraordinarily good hearts, that were in tune with God, even while being truthful and compassionate to each other.
Is there a one word for their character?
Of course there is, and this term is used by none other than the angels in their song announcing the birth of Jesus, on that first Christmas night:
"Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will." - St. Luke 2:14.
Yes, 'good will' or 'goodwill' it is.
The dictionary defines goodwill as kindness, helpfulness, generosity, concern, willingness etc.
Yes, for Joseph and Mary, it was the willingness to undertake the difficult job God gave them with good cheer, even while they remained kind and helpful to each other.
Of course, as Jesus grew up, they had an emerging role model to look upon - the Son of God who would solicit carpentry work, so that they could all live fairly.
The wedding at Cana reminds us that Mary was certain about her Son's miraculous powers, but she was equally certain that the same miraculous powers wouldn't be used for earning their daily bread.
Yes, she and Joseph were certain of that, after all they had gone through in bringing Him up.
Of course, Mary's lessons would only get tougher with time, as she was even witness to her Son's limitless suffering during His Passion and Crucifixion.
Today, when we bulge and thump our chests, claiming to be passionate Christians who are close to Him, it would serve us better to ponder about the trials of these two earliest Christians.
If we find ourselves too blessed and comfortable in our daily lives, with scant regard for the millions suffering in this world like Mary & Joseph suffered for most of their lives, it is time to rethink whether we are really close to Jesus, or just faking it.
This Christmas, let us start practicing goodwill as these two earliest Christians did, by demonstrating total willingness to undertake God's work and by being truly kind, helpful, generous, and concerned to the needy around us.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:
After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you, Mary your wife, for this Child which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife.
