Today’s gospel tells of the Annunciation to Joseph. He is the main figure in the narrative. Though he remains a silent figure, with no words attributed to him, we have a clear picture of an upright Jewish man, faithful to the Law. Matthew gives detail of his lineage, showing how God acts through unexpected people. Jacob was preferred above Esau the eldest, Judah was chosen rather than the worthy patriarch Joseph and David the youngest of his family became the key ancestor. Matthew refers to Jesus, Son of David, more often than the three other gospels taken together. Joseph was told in his dream to name the child Jesus. Thus Joseph became his legal father through his acknowledgement of Mary’s child.
Joseph in his actions recalls the first Joseph, the great dreamer, who saved his people from famine and settled them in Egypt. The second Joseph, responding to a dream warning, took his family safely to Egypt; the infant Jesus was saved like the infant Moses, later saviour of his people. The parallel accounts remind us that God is working all the time throughout history and especially through the Jewish people.
As a Jewish father, Joseph would have had a great influence on the Lord. He would have taught him about his Jewish heritage, the Law, and the child would have been a frequent visitor to the workshop where Joseph worked as the village carpenter. There he would have learnt his trade, eagerly learning to be just like Joseph.
His last appearance was in Luke 2:41-52, where Jesus was taken to the temple by his parents. He spoke of God as his Father. We do not know what happened to Joseph, but perhaps by then the faithful servant had finished the task that God had set him.