CHILDREN’S STORY:
Joseph was a carpenter who lived in Nazareth. He was a devout and righteous man who always obeyed God’s laws.
Although Joseph was not wealthy, he did come from a very important family. One of his ancestors was King David, the shepherd boy whom God chose to become ruler of the Israelites during Old Testament times.
Joseph was betrothed to a virgin named Mary. “Betrothed” means that Joseph and Mary were married but were not yet living together as husband and wife in the same house.
One day, Joseph learned that Mary was going to have a baby. Joseph decided that according to the law, he should not remain married to her. Joseph did not want to bring shame or harm to Mary, so he decided to divorce her quietly.
What Joseph did not know was that God’s angel Gabriel had visited Mary and told her the Holy Spirit would come upon her.
“You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus,” Gabriel told Mary. “He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
But after deciding that he should divorce Mary, Joseph had a dream in which one of God’s angels spoke to him.
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home,” the angel said. “For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
The angel’s words to Joseph fulfilled an Old Testament prophesy God had revealed to his people through one of his prophets: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.” Emmanuel means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke, he did just as the angel had told him. Instead of divorcing Mary, he took her into his home and waited for Jesus to be born.
READ MORE ABOUT IT:
Matthew 1
Q&A
- What king was a relative of Joseph’s?
- Who spoke to Joseph in a dream?
TRIVIA: After Gabriel appeared to Mary, whom did she visit? (Hint: Luke 1:39-40)
Answer: Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist.
BIBLE ACCENT:
God used dreams to speak to Joseph several more times. Three of those dreams were meant to help protect the newborn Messiah from harm.
Just before Jesus was born, Joseph took Mary to his family’s home city, Bethlehem, the city of David, to be counted in a census. Mary gave birth to Jesus there, and the new parents were visited by Magi who had followed a star to the place Jesus was born. Not long after the Magi left them, Joseph had a dream in which an angel warned him that King Herod wanted to kill Jesus. The angel told Joseph to flee to Egypt with Mary and the baby. After the Holy Family left for Egypt in the night, Herod ordered the killing of all male children up to 2 years of age who lived in or around Bethlehem.
After Herod himself died, Joseph had another dream in which an angel said, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”
Joseph did so. But in another dream, he was warned not to return to Judea, because it might not be safe. Instead, Joseph took his family to Galilee to live in Nazareth.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE SAINTS:
St. Sebastian
According to legend, St. Sebastian was born in Gaul (modern-day France) in the third century and was raised in Milan, Italy.
He entered the imperial army of Rome around 283. He was a Christian who converted many officials and jailers and also urged Christian prisoners to stay strong in their faith.
The Roman emperor found out that Sebastian was Christian and ordered his execution. Sebastian was shot with arrows and left for dead, but he survived and was nursed back to health.
He later denounced the emperor for his cruelty to Christians, and the emperor had him beaten to death in 288.
We remember Sebastian on Jan. 20.
PUZZLE:
Below are some events surrounding the early life of Jesus. Put them in the order in which they happened. Hint: Answers are in Luke 2, except for C, which can be found in Matthew 2:10-11.
- Joseph and Mary lose Jesus after a festival.
- Jesus is born in Bethlehem.
- The Magi visit Jesus and give him gifts.
- Jesus is presented at the Temple.
- Joseph and Mary name their baby Jesus.
Answers: A. 5; B. 1; C. 2; D. 4; E. 3