Joseph and Mary, in the circumcision and naming of their son,
they recognize their belonging to the Father of Heaven and their saving mission
of Msgr. Silvano Macchi
NIn the Gospel of Luke, the episode of the visit of the shepherds (2, 15-20) is followed by another event, the circumcision of the child and the imposition of the name. The Gospel passage portrays the Holy Family: Mary, Joseph and the child, but in particular considers Joseph as a guide, educator, authoritative father.
According to the law of Moses, the circumcision of the newborn had to take place eight days after birth. The mark on the child's flesh denoted his belonging to the holy people, chosen by God, and was accompanied by the imposition of the name, which in the Bible is synonymous with the personality of the individual, an indication of his destiny. This also happened for Mary's son; the newborn was called Jesus, according to the command she had received from the angel at the annunciation. But these gestures were the responsibility of the head of the family, even if Joseph is not mentioned in the Gospel verse in question.
Luke's attention, however, is projected more to the imposition of the name than to circumcision, almost as if to sanction the downsizing of those ancient ceremonies and rites and to bring out the identity of this child. The name "Jesus", which was quite widespread at that time, had a demanding meaning: "God saves" or "Savior". The reference to circumcision is reticent, almost furtive; it is not even said that the child was circumcised, but only that, after the time established by the law for circumcision had expired, he was given the name Jesus, as he had been called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. In Christ Jesus in fact - the apostle Paul, with whom the evangelist Luke was a collaborator, will write - circumcision or non-circumcision will not count, but only the faith that works through charity (see Gal 5:6). What counts is the promise inscribed in that name, expressed in the words of the angel before the events come to pass.
With the circumcision of Jesus, desired by Joseph and Mary, they attested that the life of their son did not belong to them, nor even to the son himself, but only to the Lord of heaven and earth. Their son is a son of God and as such must be offered, consecrated to him. It should be this way for every mother and every father: to recognize that the son is not private property, does not belong to them but to God. This gesture of obedience, which that son experiences in circumcision, will be only the first of a long series of humiliations, from baptism in the Jordan to the cross, through which Jesus will fill the ancient rites with truth, not annulling them but taking them upon himself and bringing them to completion. The name imposed on him will receive form over time, realizing God's salvation, because Jesus brings redemption.
With great allegorical suggestion, St. Ambrose comments that the ancient prescription becomes a symbol of the resurrection of Christ, which occurred on the first day after the Sabbath, that is, on the eighth day. Circumcision, a sign of blood and death, celebrated on the eighth day after birth, is a sign of resurrection, expressed in this case by the name of the child.
The imposition of the name is the most important aspect; Mary and Joseph obey the an-
frost by imposing on him the name he indicated, waiting to know the truth it contains.
Giving the child a name implies an act of faith. Mary had already conceived that son by obeying the words of the angel; again she “generates” him by assigning him with Joseph the name chosen not by her, but by the angel himself. Mary and Joseph also in this case conform to the will of God and the truth of that name will then be sanctioned by the historical event of that child. It is again the apostle Paul, in the Letter to the Philippians, who effectively summarizes the meaning of the journey of that son, which begins under the eyes of Joseph and Mary: he, although being in the very condition of God, will not consider his equality with God as a treasure to be jealously defended; he will empty himself by taking on the condition of a servant, becoming similar to men, making himself obedient unto death, even death on a cross. And it is precisely thanks to his obedience that God will exalt him and give him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess: "Jesus Christ is Lord", to the glory of God the Father (cf. Phil 2:6-11).
But for all this to happen, a father and a mother are needed. And Joseph's role (even though it is neglected by Luke) is inseparable from Mary's: their agreement, their understanding, their concentration is perfect and not at all obvious (they too will not be spared pain). Not only is the agreement between the groom and the bride perfect, but the agreement of both with the will of God is perfect, in delivering and consecrating this unknown, mysterious and very demanding child to the world.
That child is not a “chance” of life (just as our life is never a “chance”) and the holy parents recognize that the meaning, the truth of his life does not come from them, but belongs exclusively to the Father in heaven. Here lies the full value of the educational task of parents, as well as the full meaning of religious ritual, against certain commonplaces today that very often lead parents to think: “When he grows up he will decide for himself whether or not he wants Baptism, Confirmation, Communion”. One must not wait until the child grows up! As Joseph and Mary did, parents must commit themselves in front of their child, with trepidation and at the same time with certainty and trust, in the certainty of performing not “empty” rites, but conscious gestures that give value to the present and direction to the future.