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St mary and st Joseph the Carpenter

marina008marina008
edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
hello everyone,

This topic was brought up in a discussion. Was st Mary arranged to be married to st Joseph. I know they were betrothed. How did they know each other? I dont think it has anything about this in the Bible.

Thankyou

God Bless You

Comments

  • epchois_nai_nanepchois_nai_nan
    I think the tradition is that Joseph was an old man when Mary was chosen to be betrothed to him, and she was betrothed to him as a carer, not as a lover. She was only a teenager whereas he would have been much, much older so there was nothing romantic about their relationship, it was just a matter of practicality.
  • marina008marina008
    so was it arranged?
  • socoolbishoysocoolbishoy
    when saint Mary was twelve years old she was still in the temple... so the priests didn't know what to do with her, and they wanted to make sure she's out or she will "defile" the temple. so they asked the high priest to pray concerning her and he prayed concerning her, during which an angel appeared and told him, " go gather all the widows of the people, and have each one bring a rod, and whoever is chosen should take her as a wife." so he sent out, and called on the men from Judea. (they didnt really know why they were summoned,yet)

    one of the people was Joseph the carpenter... so the high priest took all the rods, and put them all together and prayed over them, after he finished he took the rods and passed out to the men... but there was no signs given, until Joseph took a rod, and a dove came on the rod and the bread of Joseph, so the priests told him this lot was made for you to receive a virgin girl, and keep her for yourself... to which Joseph the Carpenter disagreed, because he didn't want to be the "laughing-stock" because she was too young, and he was a really old man, and also because he had sons.. so they convinced him by the story of Dathan and Abiram and Korah... so out of fear saint Joseph took her and kept her with him...


    this is taken from the tradition... but you can find parts in the synaxarium,

    Kiahk 3, The Entrance of Saint Mary into the Temple at Jerusalem
    and also throughout her feasts!


    so really the answer to your question, neither one really wanted the other (or showed interest)... but rather they put the will of God before their wants... we see that clearly with saint Mary who didn't really say a word, but stayed quite. and with Joseph who loved God so much, that the story mentions when he heard the call of the temple, he was in the middle of work, but he left his Adze, and went to the temple, and listened to the priests!

    so was it arranged, in a way it was divinely arranged...

    neshkor Allah, akhadna el baraka!
  • marina008marina008
    thankyou epchoise nai nan for your input. Super Man as well you really clarified things for me.
    Thankyou for both of your responses

    God Bless You
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