Joseph's Judgement

Audituri estis hodie, fratres, quemadmodum nobis beatus evangelista generationis Christi retulit sacramentum. Christi, inquit, generatio sic erat: cum esset desponsata mater ejus Maria Joseph, antequam convenirent, inventa est in utero habens de Spiritus sancto; Joseph autem vir ejus cum esset justus, et nollet eam traducere, voluit occulte dimittere eam. Et quomodo justus, qui conceptum sponsae duxit non discutere? Suspecti non requirit causam pudoris, conjugii famam non vindicat, sed requirit? Voluit occulte dimiterre eam. Hoc pro magis videtur convenire quam justo; sed humano judicio, non divino. Penes Deum neque pietas sine justitia est, neque sine pietate justitia; coelesti sensu sine justitia est, neque sine pietate justitia; coelesti sensu sine bonitate aequitas, sine aequitate bonitas non habetur. Virtutes si separatae fuerint, dilabuntur, aequitas sine bonitate saevitia est, et justitia sine pietate crudelitas. Joseph ergo merito justus, quia pius, quia justus. Denique dum pietatem cogitat, crudelitate caruit: dum causam temperat, judicium costodivit; dum vindictam differt, crimen evasit; dum refugit accusatorem, fugit sententiam. Aestuabat animus sanctus negotii novitate perculsus, stabat sponsa praegnaens sed virgo; stabat plena pignore, sed non vacua? pudore; stabat de conceptu sollicita, sed de integritate secura: stabat vestita materno munere, sed non honore virginitatis exclusa. Sponsus quid faceret ad ista Accusaret? de crimine? Sed erat ipse innocentiae testis. Culpam diceret? Sed erat ipse custos pudoris. Urgerat adulterium? Sed erat ipse virginitatis assertor. Quid faceret ad ista? Cogitat dimittere, quia non poterat vel foris prodere, vel intus quod evenerat continere. Cogitat dimittere, et dicit Deo totum, quia quod homini diceret non habebat. Et nos, fratres, quoties res turbat, fallit species, facit color negotii interna nescire, declinemus judicium, subtrahamus vindictam, sententiam fugiamus, dicamus Deo totum, ne dum facile innocentum forte gestimus in poenam, ipsi nobis noxiam sententiam proferamus, dicente Domino: In quo judicio judicaveritis, judicabitur de vobis. Certe si nos tacuerimus, clamabit Deus, respondebit angelus, qui Joseph, ne innocentiam desereret, sic praevenit: Joseph, inquit, fili David, noli timere accipere Mariam conjugem tuam; quod enim in ea natum est, de Spiritu sancto est. Pariet autem filium, et vocabis nomen ejus Jesum; ipse enim slavum faciet populum suum a peccatis eorum. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo CXLV, De generatione Christi et de Joseph Mariam dimittere volente Source: Migne PL 52.588b-589b

You shall hear today, brothers, how the blessed Evangelist relays to us the mystery of the birth of Christ. He says: 'This was the birth of Christ, when Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be bearing in the womb by the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph was a righteous man and was unwilling to shame her, and he wished to send her away in secret.' 1 And how righteous, who thought not to bring to nothing the reception of his betrothed? Suspicious he did not pursue the matter of chastity, he did not make demand for the honour of the spouse; but what did he seek? 'He wished to send her away in secret.' He seems here to do what is fitting more than just, but by human judgement not Divine. With God there is no piety without justice, no justice without piety; in the heavenly understanding there is no equity without kindess, nor kindness without equity. If the virtues are separated they fall; equity without kindness is savagery, and justice without piety is cruelty. Joseph, then, was indeed just, because pious, and pious because just. And so thinking in piety he lacked cruelty. While he excercised moderation in the matter he guarded justice, while he dismissed requital he evaded crime, while he withdrew from accusation he fled condemnation. The holy soul wavered struck by the novelty of the matter: his betrothed stood pregnant but a virgin, she gave proof but was not stripped of modesty, she was invested with the gift of motherhood but not excluded from the glory of virginity. And what did the spouse do to her? Did he accuse of crime? But he was the witness of her innocence. Did he speak of blame? But he himself was protector of her chastity. Did he claim adultery? But he himself was the assertor of virginity. What was he to do to her? He thinks to send her away because he was not able to bring forth anything from without or within that would estabish what had occured. He thinks to send her away and he tells God all, because he does have that which he might tell a man. And we, brothers, as many times as affairs trouble us, and appearance deceives, obscuring the inner complexion, let us decline from judgement, let us put aside demand for requital, let us flee condemnation, let us tell all to God, lest while we easily despatch the innocent to punishment we bring on ourselves sentence for wrong doing. As the Lord says: 'With the judgement you make, you shall be judged.' 2 Certainly if we are silent, God will cry out, the angel will answer, he who comes to Joseph lest he lose innocence, and says: 'Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary for your wife, because that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall give birth to a son and you shall call his name Jesus, and He shall save the people from their sins.' 3 Saint Peter Chrysologus, from Sermon 145, On The Birth of Christ And Joseph's Wish To Send Mary Away 1 Mt 1.18-19 2 Mt 7.2 3 Mt 1.20-21