On being a man of honour

From Matthew 1:18-24 (Year A:Advent4)

Husband wanted one who cares and is honest. Joseph emerges in this story as Care-Full, Clear, Decisive and Courageous. He followed his dreams because he trusted the call addressed to him. He could have walked away. Or, he could have procrastinated. But, he followed, decisively, what was asked of him in the difficult and perplexing situation in which he found himself. In that situation he was ready to abandon his own plans or calculations to follow another way – entirely unforeseen, unexpected and unusual. His decisiveness was born of care – care for others and Mary in particular ‘did not want to expose her to public disgrace’.  While it is often difficult to step into the mind and culture of another era – in this case 1^st century Palestine – it is possible to understand Joseph’s dilemma as characteristic of a strong familial culture where bonds of duty, honour and justice were to the fore within a tribe or extended family.

Let’s say Joseph was a good catch. How many among us can say that we always act with courage, decisiveness and care? Following Christ is costly as Bonhoeffer showed to the very end.