Fra Angelico’s Painting . . . St. Joseph Shows Us Why Fathers Matter
By JOANNE BUTLER
Readers of a certain age may recall when a politician in 1992 claimed that Jesus was the child of a single mother. Even The New York Times acknowledged this was wrong! The Blessed Virgin had a husband — St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus. God did not arrange this just to protect Mary’s honor; He did it to teach us about the importance of fathers.
The Florentine painter Fra Angelico did a marvelous painting of the marriage of Mary and Joseph in 1432-1435. The painting is both sacred and homely. With a Jewish high priest at the center, the couple make their vows. Mary has her right hand discreetly over her abdomen — a sign of the Child she is bearing. While women behind her are more elaborately dressed, they recognize the solemnity of the moment.
Poor St. Joseph’s “friends” are another matter. Fra Angelico has them acting out a traditional Florentine male custom regarding the marriage ceremony.
The custom was for the male companions of the groom to push him toward the bride. In the painting, one man is tapping Joseph on the shoulder, while another ominously lifts his fisted arm for a possible knockout blow. Further behind Joseph, men are gathering sticks, presumably to give the groom a good smacking.
One might say this prefigures the trials St. Joseph will face as the Virgin Mary’s husband.
It starts on the road to Bethlehem. To fulfill the Roman emperor’s edict for a census, Joseph had to close his carpentry shop, collect what little money and goods could be carried, and take Mary to Bethlehem. They probably traveled by day, perhaps with a group of others traveling southward, to avoid bandits.
Imagine his frustration at not being able to find a room for himself and his heavily pregnant wife. Of course, if he had plenty of money, there would be a room. But he didn’t. The best Joseph could do was to bring Mary to a stable. Considering Mary’s condition, Joseph likely set to cleaning their part of the stable and making it habitable.
Then Christ was born and Joseph saw wondrous things. Perhaps he saw angels. We know he met shepherds who came to worship the Christ Child. Later, three wealthy foreigners arrived with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
By this time, Joseph may have fulfilled his duty to the emperor, and planned to return home. But King Herod’s mass slaughter of baby boys made that impossible (Matt. 2:16). An angel advised Joseph in a dream to take Mary and the Christ Child to Egypt (Matt. 2:13).
Again, Joseph faced the problem of bandits on the road. Again, they likely joined a caravan that was bound for Egypt. But once in Egypt, what would Joseph do?
One possibility is he would have sought out the local Jewish community and resumed work as a carpenter. He had to earn a living to support his wife and the Christ Child.
When Herod died a few years later, an angel again appeared in a dream to Joseph, and eventually the Holy Family traveled to Nazareth (Matt. 2:19-23).
We often speak of Mary’s “yes” to God, but Joseph also was obedient to God’s will. He abandoned a quiet life for one that involved great danger as well as great holiness.
And he was a father — keeping Mary and the Christ Child away from Herod’s evil is the dramatic part, but there also was his ordinary duty to his family. He had to earn money to feed, clothe, and house them.
As the father in a Jewish household, it was Joseph’s responsibility to take his foster Son Jesus to the synagogue, so to learn the Hebrew prayers, rituals, and rules, especially those specific to Jewish men.
In sum, St. Joseph had an important role in shaping Christ the True Man, the Man who was born on Christmas Day.
Through St. Joseph, God also is teaching us that fathers matter.
It was true in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago, and it is true in the twenty-first century.
Unfortunately, medical technology can make fatherhood optional. However, the Nativity story, and St. Joseph’s role in it, demonstrates the importance of fathers in lives of families, and lifts fatherhood into a holy vocation.
May the blessed St. Joseph, the brave man who obeyed God’s will, intercede for all fathers this Christmas Day, and for all the Christmases to come!
