Light last purple candle - The Love Candle
“What on earth happened?”
“I heard that she cheated on Joseph and ran off to relatives, but they must have sent her back because I saw her at the well yesterday. She’s trying to hide her baby bump with flowy robes but eventually everyone, even Joseph, will figure it out.”
The small agricultural village of Nazareth overlooking the Sea of Galilee rarely experienced anything unusually exciting, much less scandalous. Yet the gossip surrounding the young teenage girl named Mary was spreading like wildfire in their small community. In today’s reading, we’ll have to use our sanctified imaginations, as well as understanding of Jewish customs on marriage to fully appreciate the scandal that had taken Nazareth by surprise.
* Read Luke 1:26-56
Mary had been betrothed to Joseph. The custom of betrothal was different from “engagement” in today’s society and involved both parties’ families and several steps. Customarily the parents of a young man would choose a young woman to be engaged to their son. The second stage of betrothal involved official arrangements between the parents and man and woman (if they were old enough) and a prenuptial agreement before witnesses, which was a legally binding contract and could be broken only by a formal process of divorce. These first two steps could happen when the man and woman were mere children, with little to no say in the matter. Finally, once of marrying age, the groom would contractually pay a “bride-price” to the bride’s father. This could be actual money or the equivalent in labor or possessions. According to Old Testament scholar Douglas Stuart, “This was the final step in the courtship process, virtually equivalent in legal status to the wedding ceremony.” From that moment on, the betrothal would last about one year, with the bride remaining in the home of her father, while the groom worked on building or acquiring a home in which they would dwell. It was then, and only then, that their marriage would be consummated by sleeping together and enjoying a sexual relationship.
It seems that Mary and Joseph were in this final step of betrothal, during which Joseph was busily at work on the construction of their future home while Mary lived with her parents and siblings, working in the family business and readying herself to live with Joseph as his wife.
Cue the angel Gabriel, sent by God to Mary to share with her the greatest news any young Jewish woman would ever hear, that she, young Mary, from nondescript Nazareth, had been chosen to be the Messiah’s mother. But how could this be, since she was a virgin? Her marriage to Joseph had not yet been consummated? Gabriel explained to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35) He also mentioned that her older cousin, Elizabeth, who had never been able to conceive, was also pregnant. How could this be?
After three beautiful months with Elizabeth and Zechariah, culminating in the birth of their precious son, John, Mary returned home to Nazareth. Armed with a quiet confidence that God had sovereignly chosen her to bear His Son, she held her head high as she walked into her family’s home, as she greeted neighbors and friends…and Joseph. And as the wagging tongues and shaking heads followed her, I imagine that Isaiah’s prophecy was on repeat in her head:
“Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.” (Is 7:14)
* Listen to/Sing Behold (with O Holy Night) [A Christmas Moment] (see page 84 for lyrics)
* Reflect
* Have you ever been the subject of gossip or scandal? How did it make you feel? How did you handle it? Have you ever participated in gossip and the spreading of rumors?
* Imagine that you were told by Mary that the angel Gabriel had given her amazing news…she is the virgin that was prophesied to conceive the Messiah. Would you believe her? Or try to poke holes in her story, assuming that she was trying to cover up her sin?
Pray and ask the Lord to forgive you for any propensity to gossip and believe the worst about others. Ask Him to fill you with sincere love and compassion for all those made in His image and trust that He rights all things in His perfect timing and way.
