The Only Man Our Eternal Father Wanted His Son to call 'Father' Too
Reflections on the readings for the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (March 19, 2018): 2 SM 7:4-5,12-14,16; PS 89:2-3,4-5,27,29; Rom 4:13,16-18,22; MT 1:16,18-21, 24
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
Almighty God could have chosen any man to be the foster father of His own beloved Son. He chose Joseph. This devout Jew was a simple carpenter and the one destined to care for Jesus and His mother Mary. Joseph would shield his family from danger and treat them with love and honor. By raising the Son of God as his own child Joseph let Him have an ordinary life in extraordinary circumstances. But before he did those things, he was confronted with a terrible situation: Mary, Joseph’s betrothed bride, was bearing a child. As a good and honorable man, he wanted to protect her with a quiet divorce. Then God sent him an angel in a dream, who said: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that His child has been conceived in her. She will bear a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21).
Joseph was as humble and strong, as great and as gentle as he was faithful to our Lord in all things. Just as Joseph guarded the Holy Family, Joseph now acts as patron of all families and of the Church itself. Let us turn to Joseph to look after our homes and our efforts to be holy.
