MEDITATION TIPS (Episode 283)
Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 21, 2025

“Mary will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus” (Matthew 1:21)

　In the Gospels, only Luke and Matthew recount the story of Jesus’ birth. During Advent, nativity plays are often performed in churches, schools, and kindergartens. However, most of these plays are based on the account in Luke’s Gospel—the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary and the story of Jesus’ birth—while the account in Matthew’s Gospel, where the angel of the Lord appears to Joseph, is rarely used.

　The portrayals of Mary and Joseph in the Gospels are strikingly contrasting. First, Mary speaks several times in the Gospels (see Luke 1:38, 47-55, 2:48; John 2:3, 5). Joseph, however, never speaks a single word in the Gospels. Moreover, all the angel’s messages to Joseph come to him in dreams. (See Matthew 1:20, 2:13, 19) Since Mary was present from the wedding at Cana, where Jesus performed his first miracle, through his death on the cross and the descent of the Holy Spirit, it is reasonable to assume she witnessed many of Jesus’ miracles. However, Joseph was not present at the wedding at Cana (John 2:1), suggesting he had likely already passed away by that time. Furthermore, it seems Jesus began his ministry after Joseph’s death, when he was freed from the obligation of providing for him. Therefore, Joseph never witnessed any of Jesus’ miracles. Moreover, while the Bible calls Mary the mother of Jesus, the Church cannot call Joseph the father of Jesus. In the true sense, Jesus’ Father is the Heavenly Father alone; Joseph merely fulfilled the role of foster father.

　Within the liturgical year, there are numerous feasts dedicated to Mary. Starting with the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on January 1st, there are four Solemnities, three Feasts, six Memorials, and seven Optional Memorials. In contrast, Joseph has only two: a Solemnity on March 19th and the optional memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker on May 1st. What do you think of this? Isn’t that far too few? Furthermore, while there are numerous accounts of Marian apparitions worldwide, such as Lourdes and Fatima, there are none concerning Joseph.

　However, let us turn our attention to Joseph’s greatness. As mentioned, Joseph speaks not a word in the Gospels, yet he was “a righteous man” (Matthew 1:19) who did “as the angel of the Lord commanded him” (Matthew 1:24). This obedience of faith, doing as the Lord commanded, was the starting point of his life. This faith of Joseph met Mary’s faith and sustained her throughout. Just as Mary became the mother of the Savior through faith, Joseph became the foster father of the Savior through faith.

　Joseph’s greatest act was protecting the infant Jesus from mortal danger. Following the same route the Israelites had taken to escape slavery in Egypt, Joseph fled to Egypt, protecting Mary and the infant. Jesus, the son of Mary, was also the son of Joseph. Though there was no biological connection, Joseph needed to exercise his paternal authority over the child. This was accomplished by “naming him Jesus,” as the angel of the Lord had commanded (Matthew 1:25). The Gospel of John also explicitly states, “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45).

　That this Jesus “was obedient to his parents” (Luke 2:51) means he assisted Joseph in his work as a carpenter. This became the first place where the Savior, who “did not come to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45), bore witness to this truth. Within the figure of Joseph, enveloped in the silence of Nazareth, we find the origin of a profound spiritual life. Even in silence, Joseph lived in the same house as Jesus and was in daily communion with him. “Daily communion with Jesus in silence” — this is both the origin and the summit of our spiritual life, and it is here we learn greatly from Joseph.

 　　　　　(Contributed by Father Yutaka Akabae)