Joseph's Troubles

Joseph ille martius solo nomine, conscientia sponsus, praegnantem sponsam fluctuans et anxius intuetur, quia neque accusare innocentem, neque praegnantem poterat excusare; tacere tutum non erat, erat loqui periculum. Admittit, non prodit crimina accusator insontis. Erat ipse testimonium castitatis, erat custos pudoris: aliud noverat, aliud intuebatur; confundebat visus quem non confundebat Virginis fides: actus at vita in bivio; mens justa et sanctus animus ancipiti cogitatione torquetur; sentit, sed tantum non potest penetrare sacramentum, quia nec accusare poterat, et defensare penes homines non valebat. Merito mox occurit angelus, merito responsum subvenit mox divinum, cui humano deficiente consilio justitia non defecit. Et qui dicit? Joseph fili David, noli timere. Qui nihil fecerat, quid timebat? Timebat, quia etsi nullus in facto reatus erat, erat in causa maximus pavor. Sanctus animus quidquid non assequitur, expavescit, Cave ergo homo, de partu nostrae matris taliter disputare, cum angelum respondisse sufficiat: Noli timere accipere Mariam conjugem; quod enim in illa natum est, de Spiritu sancti est. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo CLXXV Source: Migne PL 52.657-58

Joseph, he who was a husband in name alone, in conscience a spouse, observing his betrothed pregnant was troubled and anxious, because he was neither able to accuse the innocent nor excuse the pregnant. It was not safe to keep silent, it was dangerous to speak. He commits a crime, does not expose it, who is an accuser of the guiltless. He himself was proof of chastity, he was the guardian of modesty. One thing he knew, he saw something else; what was seen confused him whom the Virgin's faithfulness did not confuse. Deeds and life were at a meeting of two roads; a righteous mind and holy soul were troubled by two edged thought; he observed but was unable to comprehend such a mystery, because he could not accuse and he was not capable of defending her before men. Thus it was fitting that an angel quickly came, fitting that a Divine response swiftly came to help him who was lacking in human counsel but not lacking in righteousness. And what did the angel say? 'Joseph, son of David, do not fear' 1 He who had not done anything, what did he have to fear? He feared because even if he was guilty in nothing, there was distress on account of the situation. Whatever a holy soul does not grasp is a cause of trouble. So let a man be wary of disputing our Mother giving birth when the angelic answer suffices, 'Do not fear to take Mary for your wife; that within her is from the Holy Spirit. 1 Saint Peter Chrysologus, from Sermon 175 1 Mt 1.20