Mary’s motherhood called for Joseph’s fatherhood

In this month of March, traditionally dedicated in the Church to Saint Joseph, and on this first day of the novena to the holy spouse of the Virgin Mary, let us meditate on the mystery of Joseph's paternity, with the help of Mary.

Indeed, the mystery of Mary's motherhood is so great that it has until now sort of covered up the mystery of Joseph's paternity. We should strongly affirm this: Mary's motherhood of Jesus called for Joseph's paternity; it is inseparable from it and draws its source and its greatness from it. By inseparable, we don’t mean as an added element, but as an integral part of the same parental function with respect to Jesus.

It is actually through the bond of Joseph's paternity that Jesus is recognized as being connected with his Davidic ancestry, since lineage was transmitted through the male channel (see Mt 1: 1 and 16 - 20).

After Joseph wholeheartedly accepted Mary as his wife and the mystery of the child conceived in her (Mt 1:24), they jointly devoted themselves to their task of raising Jesus and prepared him for his Mission, she as a mother, and he as a father.

Father Jean Hémery

Marie de Nazareth