The Saintly Sixteen continues with Absalom Jones taking on Joseph. In the first round, Jones defeated Matthias by the largest margin of Lent Madness 2016, 82% to 18% while Absalom Jones swept past Christina Rossetti by the second largest margin, 79% to 21%. Will this be a harbinger of a tightly contested race? Only time and your (single) vote will tell.
And, yes, the Supreme Executive Committee already knows this matchup is "not fair." But of course, that's the whole point of Lent Madness -- it's not about who wins, but about how much you learn and are inspired by these incredible holy men and women who have come before us in the faith. We assure you none of these saintly souls care one iota about winning the Golden Halo -- they've already won their crown of righteousness by virtue of their faithfulness. (Well, maybe they care just a little -- it affords them some pretty sweet heavenly street cred). The real "winners?" Everyone who takes the time to read, learn, and be inspired along this Lenten journey.
Yesterday, in the first matchup of the Saintly Sixteen, Constance defeated Helena 69% to 31%. She'll go on to face the winner of Clare vs. Vida Dutton Scudder in the Elate Eight. Today is the last battle of the week but fear not! We'll be back bright and early Monday morning as Methodius takes on Albert Schweitzer in the Lent Dome.
Absalom Jones
Did you know...
In the mid-to-late 1700s, slaves living in Pennsylvania were allowed to marry and to learn how to write and read. Jones worked at night for many years to buy his freedom, but first he bought his wife’s. The reason? Their children would then be born free.
In Philadelphia, there is a chapel and a memorial window named for Absalom Jones. His ashes have been enshrined in the altar of the chapel.
When yellow fever struck Philadelphia in the 1790s, Absalom Jones assisted Dr. Benjamin Rush in treating people afflicted by the plague: blacks were initially thought to be immune, and many whites simply fled the city (including most doctors except for Rush and his assistants, some of whom died). Jones and other black Philadelphians helped nurse the sick and bury the dead. Jones in particular sometimes worked through the night.
One of Jones’s favorite biblical quotations was Galatians 5:1: “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
A renowned preacher, it's best to let Absalom Jones speak for himself:
“Our God has seen masters and mistresses, educated in fashionable life, sometimes take the instruments of torture into their own hands, and, deaf to the cries and shrieks of their agonizing slaves, exceed even their overseers in cruelty. Inhuman wretches! Though you have been deaf to their cries and shrieks, they have been heard in Heaven. The ears of Jehovah have been constantly open to them: He has heard the prayers that have ascended from the hearts of his people; and he has, as in the case of his ancient and chosen people the Jews, come down to deliver our suffering country-men from the hands of their oppressors” (“A Thanksgiving Sermon,” January 1, 1808)
“Let the first of January, the day of the abolition of the slave trade in our country, be set apart in every year, as a day of public thanksgiving for that mercy. Let the history of the sufferings of our brethren, and of their deliverance, descend by this means to our children, to the remotest generations; and when they shall ask, in time to come, saying, What mean the lessons, the psalms, the prayers and the praises in the worship of this day? Let us answer them, by saying, the Lord, on the day of which this is the anniversary, abolished the trade which dragged your fathers from their native country, and sold them as bondmen in the United States of America (“A Thanksgiving Sermon”).
Joseph
The canonical Gospels offer very few details about Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. His mentions are limited almost entirely to the birth narratives in Matthew and Luke. It is speculated that Joseph must have died in Jesus’ childhood. Matthew presents him as a particularly righteous man, obeying God faithfully and often doing exactly what God commands word for word. And it is no small thing what Joseph was asked to do.
The earliest non-canonical stories about Joseph (found in the Proto-Gospel of James and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas—both of which are delightful, quick reads) help us understand the enormity of the task and give us a glimpse of his character.
In the Proto-Gospel of James, Joseph enters the story as an old man, widowed with his own children (according to another ancient source, Joseph is 90 with four sons and two daughters). Mary is 12 and living in the Temple. The Temple authorities need someone to look after her. Joseph is chosen by means of a divine sign—a dove emerges out of his rod and lands on his head. Joseph is initially reluctant to take on the task, citing his old age and his own children that require his care and attention. He is ultimately convinced by the priests and takes Mary into his home.
Sometime later, when Mary is found with child, Joseph expresses guilt over having failed in his responsibility to watch over her. He and Mary are brought to trial in the Temple and given a sort of truth serum, the “water of refutation.” They drink the water, no sin is revealed, and they are sent on their way. These fantastic stories remind us of the social stigma that both Joseph and Mary bore and the great sacrifices they made to serve God faithfully.
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas imagines what it must’ve been like to raise the child-God Jesus. In summary, not easy. The boy Jesus is about what you’d expect if you gave any random three-year-old total power. Jesus kills kids who bump into him, makes mute (and nearly dead?) teachers that cross him, and generally terrorizes Nazareth. At one point, Joseph, exasperated, implores Mary, “Do not let him out the door, for those who anger him die.” When a teacher expresses interest in teaching the young boy, Joseph simply replies, “If you’re that courageous, brother, take him along with you.”
But Jesus is not a terror for the whole story. He grows and matures and becomes more like the Jesus we are familiar with in the Gospels. And it is under Joseph’s steady and faithful guidance that Jesus learns how to live in harmony and to contribute to the welfare of the community.
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168 comments on “Absalom Jones vs. Joseph”
All myth and speculation about his parenting skills aside ... God trusted Joseph with the care and protection his beloved son. If ALL the man did was make the birth of Jesus possible... it was enough. But I'm comfotable giving him a little more credit than that. I also think it's interesting that at both his birth and his death, the care of the earthly body of Jesus was placed into the faithful hands of men named Joseph.
Lisa Rose, what an interesting observation regarding the two Josephs... I voted for Joseph based on thoughts similar to yours.
Absolom Jones! I went (I hope!) with more verifiable data!
As a child, I and most Blacks were not even welcome or allowed in mainline Episcopal churches but I was confirmed in a Black Episcopal mission in 1950. Jones and Richard Allen brought in many members to the white St, George's in Philadelphia yet were pulled up off their knees for sitting in the wrong places and "tipping"-a phenomenon of "too many Black folks in here!". Yet he persevered and so do I and others like me who WILL worship God where and when and how we please in His honor and to His glory. Strange blogging today.
Sublimely "unfair" as always, O SEC! What tilted me towards Absalom Jones was his Thanksgiving sermon, which compared the liberation of Israel to the liberation of American slaves in our time but studiously avoided the modern American heresy of making the United States a new "chosen people." Let us free ourselves from that pernicious idolatry!
On the occasion of my son's confirmation Bishop Barbara Harris told of having been confirmed, I believe in Philadelphia, by a bishop who wore white gloves when he confirmed in black parishes. I'm going to vote for Absalom in her honor.
In a way, voting for Joseph in March Madness is kinda like awarding Ghandi, after he's won the Nobel Peace Prize, that his high school has decided to retroactively award him the Senior Class "Mr Congeniality" award. So, I have to vote for my fell0w-(metro-)Philadelphia, Absalom Jones.
I voted for Joseph, but your comment did make me laugh!
Indeed, Absalom Jones was a remarkable man and an inspiration to me. At the same time I've always admired Joseph for his devotion to Mary and his adopted son, Jesus. I have to vote for Joseph; how can I not vote for the earthly father of our Saviour.
Joseph is an important symbol of good fatherhood, but we don't know very much, if anything about him. We know a lot about Absalom Jones; we have much to be grateful to him for; we need his continuing spirit in the church. Absalom Jones is my man today and I plan to see him wearing the Golden Halo this year!
We don't know a lot about Joseph but, thanks to Matthew and Luke, we do know something.
A terribly tough call. They're both awesome. But I have to vote for Joseph. He's the behind-the-scenes, never self-seeking, always reliable, compassionate, and loving guy every person needs as a father. As a priest I know pointed out in a sermon I've never forgotten, we know what kind of person Joseph was because of the way Jesus talks about God the Father. Joseph is the one who taught Jesus the nature of a father's love. When Jesus says we call God "Abba" - "Daddy" - Joseph is his model.
Well said! I agree completely!
I agree.
The proof is in the puddin.
I voted for Absalom❤️
GOD BLESS the SEC!
Thank you for this wonderful Leneten experience.
Getting for LMW
It was a hard choice. Can't imagine where Mary and Jesus would have been without Joseph in the picture, but I voted for Absalom. In the face of slavery he was self-less (has that in common with Joseph), taking care of his wife and those affected by yellow fever. And he is the first African-American priest in the Episcopal church. He helps us remember that in Christ we are all equal.
Well said! I agree. I was also moved by Absalom's sermon.
I chose Joseph only because God chose Him to be the foster father of Jesus. Who am I to not go along with this.
I have to believe that Joseph and Mary created a wonderful home and example for Jesus. My son's name is Joseph and I owe a hugh debt of gratitude to the Sisters of St. Joseph, so it's St. Joseph for me.
It was so hard (again) to decide. I voted for Absalom for no real reason other than he is from Philadelphia.
Two good fathers. Two good men. I appreciate the thoughtful comments and reasons to vote one way or the other. I voted for Absalom. I notice that voters this year are leaning toward those who took action for their faith. And those who were brave.
I voted for Joseph because I'm a stepmom. I'm glad mine little devils not the Son of God!
Anyone who stays up all night to care for the sick when there is a plague going on, gets my vote.
I vote for Absalom Jones, family man, priest, preacher, and caregiver to people with yellow fever. He is an inspiration to me!
Both are worthy of the Golden Halo. I'm sure they'll toast each other, whichever wins this round.
I'm sorry you used those terrible stories from non-canonical gospels to illustrate Joseph's story. I might have voted for him, but I find those stories detract from the Gospel message about two humble people who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances - as we do when we encounter Jesus. I voted for Absolom.
Both totally worthy candidates, no doubt, but I voted for Joseph because he provided strength and a good home for Jesus, and took good care of Mary. The non-canonical gospels distract a bit, I think, from the stable and protective arm of Joseph. Where would we be without him? More important, where would Jesus have been without him?
An incredibly hard choice. I voted for Absolom today because he freed his wife first assuring also that his children would be free. In doing so, it seems to me he replicated the selfless acts of Joseph in "our times." They both are a testimony to the idea of fatherhood.
Joseph all day.
How can one not vote for the guardian of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?
I would love to know the name of the beautiful painting of Joseph and Jesus, as well as its artist.
"Saint Joseph With The Infant Jesus" by Guido Reni.
I'm sorry, but there's a little too much ambiguity (as well as mythology) surrounding Joseph to get through my window of skepticism, while Absalom's ministry of healing is clearly heroic as well as saintly. (Yellow fever epidemics seems to have brought forth several saints.)
Two men whose first concerns were for wife and family! As the child of a man who abandoned his family, I have untold admiration for them both. Absalom Jones has long been a favorite of mine, and in today's society it would, against another contender, be he who gets my vote. Alas, I must cast my vote for the man who raised a child not his own (and not an easy child, if we believe Thomas!), and in honor of my late husband, a carpenter. (Besides, Jesus might be watching! 😉 )
Joseph has always had bad press in the west not so much in the east where we have better sources and different history. Some of us that live in the west have a great respect for jo.
I'm voting Joseph based entirely on Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. Similar to the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, it shows what a pain it must have been to be the father of Jesus. (I'm pretty sure that's where the similarities end!)
I love Joseph and voted for him in the first round. Today when I read that AJ bought his wife's freedom first thinking about the unborn children that did it for my vote. What a caring thoughtful man putting others first, no offense Joseph.
Joseph receives my vote. He accepted a wife pregnant by another. He kept her with him as they traveled to Bethlehem. He listened to the messenger of God and emigrated to save the life of the child. He raised the child back in the Holy Land keeping his religion as a priority - making the trek on a yearly basis for the Passover. So many men need his example of being a father no matter what troubles assail them and keeping true to their faith.
Two amazing men who put others first in making the choice to follow God's call on their lives. It was a difficult pick, but I went with Absalom, simply because he was new to me. I'm glad I've discovered Lent Madness - I keep learning about new folks
You have to say it. forty eight per cent of the vote is a huge accomplishment for someone who barely even existed in scripture, and no remarkable acts are recorded. Yes, quite an accomplishment indeed.
Gotta go with Absolom Jones. I live just a couple of miles from St. Thomas African Episcopal Church, the parish founded by him.