Saint Joseph's dream is not an uncommon theme in art, but to see him visibly upset at the discovery that Mary is pregnant prior to their marriage (as shown in the left panel above) is a relatively untouched subject.
The Azulejo paintings "Joseph's Anxiety" and "Joseph's Dream" at Santuario de Torreciudad in Aragon, Spain portray the distressed Joseph hiding behind a stone wall, presumably to his own home. If they would marry, he would take her into his home to begin their life together. But for now she is barred entrance into his space.
Through the arched opening we see his betrothed, Mary, in a contemplative pose, eyes downcast not so much toward the book she is holding, but to her womb. Separated from her by the threshold and his own anxiety, Joseph clutches his forehead, clearly overwhelmed by the situation. By law, her apparent infidelity would be punished by stoning.
While concise in his narrative, Matthew gives us enough detail in today's Gospel so we may assume that Joseph has true affection for Mary:
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
He's doing his best to do the right thing, but still, as a divorcee Mary would have to face the community's judgment as her pregnancy advanced, and who knows what would become of her then. Joseph is attempting damage control, but none of the options are good.
What Matthew also does not tell us, we may similarly assume: Mary must have told Joseph what the Angel Gabriel told her at the Annunciation. And of course, he did not believe her -- did not trust her. If you stood in Joseph's shoes, would you?
As a carpenter, Joseph was likely driven by logic. The facts had to be plumb, square, straight, and unsplintered. By scientific standards, this attitude leads to the most reasonable conclusion. But God transcends what can be assessed by the senses or any tool used to enhance them. Likewise, God transcends law and reason.
So God must dispatch another angel to repeat the news and to assuage Joseph's fears. The rest, as they say, is Anno Domini history.
We can view MT 1:18-24 not only as a straightforward reporting of how Joseph resolved his totally understandable issues around Mary's pregnancy, but also as a commentary on marriage, trust, and times when a couple should allow more room for the Holy Spirit to flow between them so that miracles can happen.
But more to the point: No matter what kind of self-inflicted or societal pressure we face in a seemingly impossible situation, divine guidance is there if only we are willing to receive it. |
