March 19 Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reflection The third gospel that must be considered in regard to this feast day of St. Joseph is Matthew 1:20 But after he had considered 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 home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. For in this Gospel the awesomeness and wonder of realizing that which Joseph was going to do mustve in some way played heavily upon his mind. While he had every right to not enter into a spousal relationship with Mary, already knowing that she carried a stigma attached to her in regard to who the father was, Joseph received Mary, allowing him to, within his mind, already be there fosterfather for Jesus and the spouse of Mary. Not many men would do what Joseph had done. Yet not same way the understanding of the responsibility and trust that Joseph had in protecting Jesus during his early life invites all of us to recognize the responsibility brought on us. A responsibility to allow ourselves to enter into that relationship and knowing the person we are called to follow. On this feast of St. Joseph, may we allow ourselves to grow in a better understanding of ourselves as Joseph but also a better understanding in the person knowing the person of Jesus, whose words to His mother: Did you not know that I had to be about my fathers business? echo within the heart and mind of each and everyone of us. May we come to to a deeper understanding of what it means to live out that understanding. May the words of the Child Jesus who questions and responds to the wisdom of the elders allow us as mature followers to grow in the ability of recognizing who we not only are called to profess our faith in but who it is we are called to live it for. Lord, On this feast on which we honor St. Joseph, may his intercession for us be one of willingness to receive the truth of God in prayer, to allow us to stand firm in relationship, in union, with others but also allow us to hear the words of his foster son who would allow us to grow into maturity of faith, even if that faith sounds more like the child Jesus speaking, will we be more mature in our own. Help us today to enter into the simplicity of that face that we may emulate it to everyone we meet today. We ask this through Your heart of love and mercy. Amen Reading 12 SM 7:4-5A, 12-14A, 16 The LORD spoke to Nathan and said: “Go, tell my servant David, ‘When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’” Responsorial Psalm PS 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 AND 29 R. (37) The son of David will live for ever. The promises of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness, For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. R. The son of David will live for ever. “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.” R. The son of David will live for ever. “He shall say of me, ‘You are my father, my God, the Rock, my savior.’ Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him, and my covenant with him stands firm.” R. The son of David will live for ever. Reading 2 ROM 4:13, 16-18, 22 Brothers and sisters: It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, as it is written, I have made you father of many nations. He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become the father of many nations, according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be. That is why it was credited to him as righteousness. Gospel MT 1:16, 18-21, 24A Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and 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 this 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.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. Or LK 2:41-51A Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 12:20:30 +0000
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