To Be or Not To Be – A Hero

According to the dictionary, a hero is “a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” In the Gospel reading today, we read about a true hero, a man who is pivotal in God’s plan. He yet may well be the most understated person in scripture. The hero in today’s Gospel is Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus.

In the New Testament, Joseph’s role is minimized to near non-existence. He is mentioned, by name, only 3 times in the Gospels. In the Gospel of Matthew, he is referenced as part of the lineage of Jesus. In Luke, one reference is the one we read today in the Gospel, about a dream assuring Joseph that he should take Mary as his wife. The second reference in the Gospel of Luke is Joseph being warned in a dream to flee from Bethlehem because Jesus was in danger. Joseph is never mentioned in the Gospels of Mark, John, or the Acts of the Apostles. Neither is he referred to in any of the letters of Paul. We could quickly conclude that he is an inconsequential person in the story of the life of Jesus and the plan of God. However, coming to that conclusion would be very short-sighted and indeed wrong.

In today’s reading, Mary is found to be with child, and Joseph, an honorable man, decides to divorce her quietly. He is visited by an angel in a dream and told the child was conceived through the Holy Spirit. Joseph follows the angel’s instruction and takes Mary into his home as his wife. If her pregnancy had been made public, she might have been a stoning victim as required by the Law of Moses. Instead, by taking Mary as his wife, Joseph saved the lives of both Mary and the Son of God she carried in her womb. He, with blind trust, followed the direction of an angel in a dream. A faith that deep and trusting is awe-inspiring. He, like Mary, had an unquestioning belief in a message from God brought by an angel. The result would have been very different and tragic if Joseph had dismissed the dream as foolish. Joseph’s “Yes” to follow the call of God is as critical to God’s plan for salvation as Mary’s.

The second time Joseph is mentioned in Luke’s Gospel is again when an angel comes to him in a dream and tells him that Jesus’ life is in danger. Herod is having all of the boy babies under 2 killed. Joseph trusts God through an angel’s word, gathers his little family, and makes his way to Nazareth. Joseph and Mary created a family where Jesus would grow in “wisdom, age, and grace.” Even though the words in scripture about him are few, Joseph is the courageous protector of God’s plan in the story of the early life of Jesus. Joseph is a hero.

As I have thought about Joseph over these last few weeks, it has made me pause and wonder about our lives and the decisions we make every day. Remembering the birth of Jesus at Christmas is a call to remember God, who loved us so much that He shared fully in our humanity. And who invites us through Jesus to share fully in His divinity. It is easy to think that my efforts to build the Kingdom of God here on earth are small and insignificant. To believe they don’t make a difference in ‘the big picture of life. Joseph should remind us that none of our actions are unimportant, and not one of us is insignificant. 

Every time one life touches another, we are changed. If we are changed for the better, the Kingdom of God is built more vital, or if we are harmed or cause harm in interacting with others, the Kingdom of God suffers. Therefore, each action and interaction with others is an opportunity to build the Kingdom of God. Every encounter is a chance to protect, defend, and witness to the God who shares our humanity and invites us to share His divinity.  

As we celebrate Christmas this year, let’s remember Joseph, who was seemingly insignificant. Yet, he is a hero in the plan of God. We all hear the Word of God in our lives. We all respond in one way or another. We can build the Kingdom of God together. We can be heroes. 

In God’s Unending Love,

Gwen