After Mary, Joseph, and Jesus returned to Israel from Egypt, they integrated back into their ordinary society. We literally know nothing about what they are doing at the time, but we can say that it’s highly unlikely, nigh on impossible, that the community was holding them in any esteem. They weren’t local celebrities, and most assuredly, people weren’t expecting Jesus to be the Messiah. They were just ordinary folks doing ordinary things.
Although most Jewish men at the time were farmers whose lives were intimately tied to the cycle of the seasons, Joseph, as an artisan, would have had a bit more flexibility. Nonetheless, his day probably was very similar to those of his neighbors.
Joseph would have gotten up just before sunrise and worked for a few hours before having a morning meal of bread and vegetables. (Alas, no coffee. Although coffee is an ever-present beverage in the Middle East today, the earliest credible reference to it doesn’t occur until the 15th century although its use may date back as early as A.D. 850. Regardless, Saint Joseph would never have been able to have a “cup of Joe” to start his day.)
After his morning meal, Joseph would have gone back to whatever jobsite he was working on. If the site was outside the immediate vicinity of Nazareth, he would have packed his morning meal and taken it with him. By late afternoon, he would return home for an evening meal, again generally consisting of bread and vegetables, maybe with some fruit and possibly wine. While he may have spent time in the early evening with his friends, chatting, perhaps even singing and dancing around a courtyard fire, he most assuredly would have made time to teach Jesus about Jewish history, religion, and the Law because that was a sacred duty outlined in Deuteronomy 6:6–7: “Take to heart these words which I command you today. Keep repeating them to your children. Recite them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up.” Bedtime came early, not only because people rose early, but also because it was expensive to have artificial light. So, when darkness fell, most people went to bed. So would have Joseph since morning would come quickly.
Joseph’s ordinary life was marked by routine, but it was also punctuated by religious events, one of which was the occasion of Jesus getting lost in the Big City (Jerusalem)! However, let us always remember that it was in the ordinary routine that Joseph is our true example of fatherly love and devotion.
Quotation
“In Joseph. . . heads of the household are blessed with the unsurpassed model of fatherly watchfulness and care.” –Pope Leo XIII
Prayer
Saint Joseph, help me to see the blessings of an ordinary life. Amen.
Image credit: Annunciation Triptych (Merode_Altarpiece) Workshop of Robert Campin ca. 1427–32 (public domain in USA) Metropolitan Museum of Art
