Jo Ann Deasy is a Covenant pastor who has served in a variety of ministerial roles including Youth Intern, Minister of Christian Education, Dean of Students, and Solo Pastor. She is currently serving as Director, Institutional Initiatives and Student Research at the Association of Theological Schools in Pittsburgh.
During a conference this week, we were asked to reflect on an Advent text: Matthew 1:18-25, the call of Joseph. With so much focus on Mary and the baby Jesus, Joseph often gets left out of the Christmas story. After all, he played such a small part. Really, this Christmas thing was about Mary and God. Joseph was just along for the ride. The third wheel in the divine drama that played out over those nine months before the first Christmas.
And yet, Christmas could not have happened without him. It was his agreement to stay with her despite the unexplained pregnancy, his willingness to believe her, his willingness to listen to God himself, that protected Mary and allowed her not to be condemned for adultery. It was his faithfulness that protected the baby Jesus as they fled to Egypt and allowed the child to be provided for and cared for throughout his life.
It may seem strange that on a blog focusing on biblical equality and the ministry of women pastors I would focus on Joseph, but here is what struck me as I reflected on this passage during our devotion this week. What was amazing about Joseph was his willingness to believe that God might have chosen to work through a woman. Young, virgin, Mary. A woman engaged to a working class carpenter. So outside the realm of who one might have expected God to choose to bring forth a savior into the world. And yet Joseph believed. Continue Reading »