The Espousals of Mary

Scripture says (Luke 1:27) that the angel Gabriel was sent to “a virgin espoused to a man named Joseph.” It is suitable that Christ was born of an espoused virgin, and this for his own sake, for Mary’s sake, and for our sake. (a) For his own sake: lest he be thought illegitimate; so that his genealogy might be traced through a male line; so that, as a newborn child, he might have a proper protector; so that his miraculous birth might be hidden from the devil. (b) For Mary’s sake: lest she be stoned as an adulteress; lest she be subjected to ill fame; so that she might have the loving and holy aid of St. Joseph. (c) For our sake: because St.Joseph bears witness to us that Christ is born of a virgin; because Mary’s claim to virginity is at once rendered credible (for, if she were unespoused, it might seem that her claim was to covers in); because Mary typifies the virginal Church which is espousedto Christ.

The espousals of Mary and Joseph constituted a true marriage. The essence of a marriage is an inseparable union of souls, even if this union is never brought to carnal use orfruitfulness. Scripture calls St. Joseph the husband of Mary, and calls Mary the wife of Joseph (Matt. 1:19, 20). Therefore, Mary and Joseph were truly man and wife; they were truly married.