God’s Instructions

Saint Joseph
Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

19 March 2016

First reading                                                                        2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-14,16
The word of the Lord came to Nathan:

  ‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: “When your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. (It is he who shall build a house for my name, and I will make his royal throne secure for ever.) I will be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does evil, I will punish him with the rod such as men use, with strokes such as mankind gives. Yet I will not withdraw my favour from him, as I withdrew it from your predecessor. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”’

 

Psalm                                                                            Psalm 88:2-5,27,29

             

Second reading                                                         Romans 4:13,16-18,22

The promise of inheriting the world was not made to Abraham and his descendants on account of any law but on account of the righteousness which consists in faith. That is why what fulfils the promise depends on faith, so that it may be a free gift and be available to all of Abraham’s descendants, not only those who belong to the Law but also those who belong to the faith of Abraham who is the father of all of us. As scripture says: I have made you the ancestor of many nations – Abraham is our father in the eyes of God, in whom he put his faith, and who brings the dead to life and calls into being what does not exist.

  Though it seemed Abraham’s hope could not be fulfilled, he hoped and he believed, and through doing so he did become the father of many nations exactly as he had been promised: Your descendants will be as many as the stars. This is the faith that was ‘considered as justifying him.’

 

Gospel                                                                     Matthew 1:16,18-21,24

Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.

  This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the 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 she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do.

Reflection

By Grace B. Madriñan

“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. – Matthew 1: 20,24

St. Joseph heeded the dream and the rest is history. 

 

Now who believes in dreams these days, anyway?  I had dreams but I could not completely trust it because it was garbled and confusing. Imagine if St. Joseph doubted the dream, I could not imagine how the history would have evolved.

But God knew Joseph. He knew his personality, He knew how St. Joseph would react in the situation that is why He sent an angel to inform him of the “plan”.  God also knew that a dream is enough to move St. Joseph to action. It was no accident -- God planned and chose St. Joseph to be the father of Jesus.

In the same way, God knows us. He even knows the number of our hair (Matthew 10:30).  He knows us intimately, even our stinky little secrets. He knows what will hurt us, what will heal us. Most of all, He knows what we are capable of, what greater person we can be, what dreams we can achieve. He sends us some hints, or even a push if we are stubborn. If we are in a good place, know that God had a hand on it to make it all happen. If we are in the dark, know that God is in control and is about to teach us something. Just be ready to be led by God and listen to his instructions. Just like what St. Joseph did.

Prayer

  Loving Father, like St. Joseph, may our hearts be open to your leading. Teach us the way to Your Divine Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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