January 22 is the Feast of the Betrothal and January 23 is the Feast of the Espousal of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph. These two feasts celebrate the betrothal and marriage of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph. Jewish marriage at the time of Mary and Joseph was a two-part process. The betrothal represented a contract between the two families to have the individuals marry. While they did not yet live together, unfaithfulness could be punishable by death, although a man could give a woman a writ of divorce if he chose not to go through with it. After a set period of time (often about a year), the official marriage ceremony was held. The couple would then live together and consummate the relationship.
The Annunciation took place in the time in between Mary and Joseph’s betrothal and wedding. “In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary” (Luke 1:26-27).
Matthew shares Joseph’s side of the story. “Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly” (Matthew 1:18-19). But an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and let him know that she conceived by the Holy Spirit and Joseph took Mary into his home as his wife (Matthew 1:20-24).
Mary and Joseph’s relationship no doubt went from simple to complicated in a heartbeat. Their willingness to say yes to God and to trust in God’s plan for them changed the world. They became the Holy Family, held up to all as a model for what family life should be, but we should never forget that they were human, living each day, trying to figure it out and make the best decisions they could one day at a time.
Prayer
Mary, it must have been scary for you to be pregnant and not know how Joseph would respond. It must have been hard to trust in God’s plan for you. Please help me when I am struggling to follow God’s plan for my life not knowing where the road might lead.
Reflection
Spend some time today trying to imagine what it was like to be a young Mary (or Joseph) hearing the message from the angel. How can you better respond to God’s call in your own life?
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