Christmas, Day 6
Joseph at the Christmastide Pageant
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit…When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife but had no marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son, and he named him Jesus.
—Matthew 1:18-20, 24-25 (NRSVue)
As Joseph was a-walking, he heard an angel sing (Cherry Tree Carol)
1 As Joseph was a-walking,
He heard an angel sing,
This night shall be the birthday
Of Christ, the heav'nly King.
2 He neither shall be…
