As a Birthday Gift, what shall we offer to our Heavenly mother? I believe, one of the best gifts is that, we tell Mother Mary, we are convinced of the validity of the Catholic Church’s teaching, that ‘Mother Mary is, Ever Virgin’. One of the requirements for our conviction is that, at least one valid proof is required in the Bible. Either as a direct proof or as an indirect proof.
1) One indirect proof in the Bible, that Mother Mary was a Virgin, prior to her marriage with St. Joseph, is a claim by herself to the Angel, that, she is a virgin. Let us read, the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 1, verses 26 to 38. May I quote here, verse 34. Mary said to the Angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” We can accept this claim from Mother Mary, and believe that, she is telling the truth. Because, here, she doesn’t have the need to tell a lie.
Now, let us examine the events that are connected with St. Joseph. Did St. Joseph feel convinced, that Mary is a virgin, although she was with a child in her womb? Let us read the Gospel of Mathew 1, verses 18 to 25.
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. May I write here, verse 24. When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, ‘but had no marital relations with her until she had born a son; and he named him Jesus.
Aquestion that can arise here is, whether St. Joseph and Mother Mary had marital relations after Jesus was born? To my mind, the answer is, if her husband approached her for marital relationship, it would have been difficult for Mother Mary to refuse. So, we have to examine, what were the likely thoughts of St. Joseph, after Jesus was born? To my mind, the most likely thought that occurred in St. Joseph, is as follows: –
“My wife is also the mother of my God. Although she became my wife, I shall look at her and always treat her as the Mother of my God”. Let us also consider the likely thoughts of God the Father. One such thought is as follows. “My son, (Jesus) in his formative age, will require the attention and care from a father figure. For this purpose, he (St. Joseph) has to be convinced. So, God the Father arranges a dream and the Angel says, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. and is from God—– ——-and you are to name him, Jesus, ————Kindly read, up to verse 25. —–and he named him Jesus”.
God Sends Evidence for St. Joseph. Let us read, The Shepherds and the Angels. -Luke.2: 8 to 20. May I write here, verse 15 to 20.
When the Angel’s had left them and gone into heaven, the Shepherds said to one another, ” Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us”. So, they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her returned, glorifying and praising God—–.
Let us specially refer to the sentence, ‘So, they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger’. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ———-“.
Let us ask the following question to ourselves. When St. Joseph heard the Testimony from the Shepherds, will not a thought something as follows, occur in St. Joseph.?
” My God sent the Shepherds here, to convince me that the dream I had is a reality and the child Mary conceived is indeed the Promised Messiah”. A question to ourselves: – If trials and tribulations occur during the childhood days of Jesus, will not Satan try to put doubtful thoughts in St. Joseph, that the child Mary conceived is really the Promised Messiah or not?
Marceline Rebello