FEAST OF ST JOSEPH
Reflection
Joseph is described in Matthew’s gospel as ‘a righteous man’. What does that mean? He was a man who ‘kept the law’ and did what he knew to be the right thing according to his understanding of his faith.
None of the Gospels record a single word uttered by Joseph. It is his actions that speak volumes, and reveal to us why he was the man chosen by God to be the earthly father of Jesus.
Joseph did not abandon Mary to a horrific fate when he found out that she was pregnant before they lived together as husband and wife. The journey to Bethlehem for the census could not have been easy with him having to travel across inhospitable territory with a heavily pregnant wife. Then there was the lack of suitable accommodation which led to Jesus having to be born in a stable.
All this must have troubled Joseph greatly. The subsequent flight into Egypt to keep Jesus safe was a treacherous journey into a foreign country – the country of his forefathers’ slavery. About twelve years later he ‘loses’ Jesus in Jerusalem, and must have suffered great anguish during the three days it took to find him.
Truly a ‘superman’! A man of true worth and integrity; a man who was there in ‘the best of times and the worst of times’; who lived what he believed to be right, and whose actions were instrumental in bringing ‘the light of God’ into the world. It is this same light that invites each of us to evaluate our own lives and actions – to renew our commitment to taking the ‘light’ further.
Practical Suggestion
We are almost halfway through Lent. Evaluate your ‘actions’ up to now. What do my actions say or proclaim to others? Decide how you can improve on this in the coming weeks, especially looking at the example and faith of Joseph.
Prayer
Lord, in choosing Joseph, You chose a man of true fidelity and faith. Like him, may my actions reflect Your presence in my life, so that others may be drawn to Your light. Amen.
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