The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 7 -
Joseph Notices Mary's Pregnancy
JOSEPH WAS filled with high presentiments and said to Mary, 'Child of the Lord! Much joy is given my house in you, my soul is filled with high presentiments!
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But I also know that the Lord always painfully afflicts those He loves, so let us always ask Him to be gracious and merciful to us all.
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It is even possible that the Lord will want to have the old Ark of the Covenant renewed through you and me.
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Should something like that be in the offing, then woe to me and you, for we will have to withstand a very difficult task there. But no more of that now.
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What must happen surely will happen and we will not be able to prevent it, but when it comes it will seize us with an all-powerful hand, and we will tremble before the will of Him who set the foundations of the earth!'
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Mary understood nothing of all this and soothed the very troubled-looking Joseph with these words,
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'Dear father Joseph! Do not be saddened at the Lord's will, for we know that He always wants only the best for His children! If the Lord is with us, as He was with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and as He always was with those who loved him, what harm and evil can possibly befall us?'
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Joseph was satisfied with this consolation, thanked the Lord in his heart with all his might that He had given him such a comforting angel in Mary, and then said,
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'Children, it is already late in the evening, so let us intone the hymn of praise, partake of our blessed evening meal and then retire.'
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The hymn was sung, whereupon Mary quickly brought the bread and Joseph apportioned it and all marveled that the bread this time tasted so exceptionally good.
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Here Joseph said, 'All praise to the Lord! What He blesses always tastes well and has the best flavor.'
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And Mary said to Joseph in a lovingly wise manner, 'See, dear father, therefore you should not fear the visitations of the Lord, for they truly are also His ever so precious blessings.'
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And Joseph agreed, 'Yes, yes, you pure daughter of the Lord, you are right! I will indeed be glad to bear in all patience whatever the Lord gives me to carry. He surely will not make His burden too heavy for me nor His yoke too hard - for He is truly a father full of kindness and mercy even in His zeal. May His holy will always be done!'
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Hereupon the devout family went to rest and worked at home the next few days.
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In the meantime Mary's body became fuller day by day, and since she was well aware of this, she attempted to hide her pregnancy from the eyes of Joseph and his sons as well as she could.
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But after a time of two months her concealment helped her no more, and Joseph became suspicious and secretly consulted one of his friends in Nazareth concerning Mary's strange condition.