Butch's Blog for Friday, Dec. 2

[Butch Ritter]

    So, was Joseph 14 or 15 (Adam Hamilton's "The Journey") when he and Mary became the parents of Jesus or was he 90 ("History of Joseph the Carpenter") when Mary entered his home? We have no evidence for his age. He might have been 36, if we are picking out numbers.

 

    We can assume, I believe, that they spent their lives just going about the ordinary tasks of keeping themselves alive. Finding food, making a living, having shelter would fill their time. They didn't travel preaching. As far as we know, they never left their homeland (except maybe for a sojourn in Egypt). They didn't write any great letters or gospels (or any bad ones). Mary did compose one song, but that's about it. No elections won, no victories in battle, no fiery sermons, no great carpentry construction. Just plain folk. Like the shepherds, like Anna, like Simeon.

 

    Ordinary people. Ordinary faithful people.

 

Butch