Far From the Center of Power

Today the church celebrates the feast of St. Joseph.

Joseph, the “surrogate” father of Jesus, appears in both the gospel of Matthew and Luke and is really considered a “minor” character in the whole gospel narrative.

Even though Joseph has no speaking lines in the gospels, there is much about him that I think speaks volumes.

Joseph is a righteous man.  In an era of toxic masculinity, Joseph’s humble nature stands out. And as opposed to “calling out” and shaming Mary (which could have led to her being stoned), he instead decides to handle things quietly. In our modern social media era, this is an important attribute to consider.

Joseph is a poor laborer whose life his spent far from the centers of power. We know from the gospel record that he is a carpenter in a town so small that it is the subject of jokes.  His wife must give birth in an animal stall because they have no other options. And when they go to Jerusalem for Jesus’ ritual presentation, they could only buy “turtledoves” at the temple (the cheapest option available).

Joseph reminds me of so many people I know – people of simple means, doing the best they can in the shadow of empire. They know that they will struggle.  They know that they are not the movers and shakers of the world. They know that they are not regarded as important (by the world’s standards).  Yet they live lives that matter.

In an era of celebrity, we might be tempted to think that the “important and influential” people are in Albany or Washington, on Wall Street, or in the halls of power somewhere. We might be convinced that the social influencers, media personalities, CEO’s, famous celebrities and athletes are the folks who “really make a difference.” But our gospel would suggest otherwise.

The gospel would suggest that it is everyday people, with no speaking lines, sometimes far from the centers of power who can impact history in ways that no one could have calculated.

That’s where you and I might find ourselves today – trusting that the work we do, the sacrifices we’re making, the kindnesses we show – matter and might, in fact, be an essential part of a drama whose importance is not easily recognized.