Remembering

‘Jesus ... was the son (as was thought) of Joseph...’ (Luke 3: 23)

It is an interesting comment by Luke, is it not?’Jesus was the son (as was thought) of Joseph’.... We know what Luke is driving at. If – as he makes clear in the opening chapters of his Gospel – Mary was a virgin when she conceived, and this was the result of the Holy Spirit, then Joseph was not really the father of Jesus. And yet, after this verse Luke then goes onto give an account of the genealogy of Joseph which clearly has significance for Luke as Joseph can trace his ancestry back to King David and so Jesus is indeed a descendent of David... or is he? You see the problem?

Well, let’s not get too worried about sorting it all out.

In fact, the genealogical list then continues all the way back to Adam and so to God. The significance for Luke is that Jesus is both Son of David and Son of God as well as being son (sort of!) of Joseph.

But what really interests me is that Luke feels it important that all these names in this long genealogical list are remembered. And it is surely a good thing to remember those who have gone before us.

And what about Joseph himself? What became of him? Apart from the rather sneering and snide comment from the synagogue attenders at Nazareth when Jesus first preaches there (‘Is this not Joseph’s son?’) nothing further is heard of Joseph in the Gospels.

Was he simply irrelevant in the later story?

Did he die?

Perhaps. But he was remembered... remembered by Luke and remembered by Matthew... and now remembered by us.

In common with many churches at this time of year, the congregation with which I am currently placed has a ‘Memory Tree’ on which people are able to place the name or names of loved ones no longer with us whom they remember at this time of year.

It is important to remember.

I have placed several names on the tree. There are so many people whom I cannot, will not and would not want to forget.

I choose to remember them... they have meant and still mean a lot to me.

Who will you be remembering at this time?

Let us give thanks for the memories of those whom we loved and whose lives played a significant part in our lives and to whom we owe so very much.

Let us remember.

And when the remembering brings the sorrow of loss and the pain of grief then let’s bring that to God too for his comfort, peace and healing.