Saint Joseph
Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
19 March 2020
‘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.”’
| Second reading Romans 4:13,16-18,22 |
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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 whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do 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 as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife.
Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do 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 as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife.
Reflection
By Fely Santiago
“When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him.”
I have known St Joseph to be a low profile foster father of Jesus. There’s not much story about him in the Bible. He must be a very good carpenter and must be a loving husband to Mama Mary and for sure loving father to Jesus. He accompanied Jesus for about 30 years and it must be from him and of course Mama Mary that that Jesus learned the value of obedience.
Nowadays obedience is an expensive virtue. Because of the world we live in today or the influence of the world, many children and even parents don’t value obedience anymore. Children have become so open minded that they question what their parents would tell them to do. Of course there are still exceptions.
I grew up in a very authoritative environment having a father who is from the military. Discipline was really instilled on us his children and the Fourth Commandment “Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother” is a common reminder. He always tell us “obey, there’s no other way!”. So I’ve grown to be an obedient child. And I guess this has also prepared me in my spiritual journey to always listen to God and do His will. And it has also helped me in rearing my children as most of them obey us their parents.
One of my favorite verses from the Old Testament is from Jeremiah 7:23 “Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper.” St Joseph must have also put these words in his heart as he was very obedient to what the angel of the Lord told him. And I believe God chose him to be the foster father of Jesus because of his obedient heart. He follows what God tells him to do and remained faithful. He is also a very cool man. I love the statue of the sleeping St Joseph. It keeps me still when the troubles of the world overcome me. We can go to St Joseph to calm us down and learn from his obedient and faithful heart.
Prayer
Father God, Thank You for giving us St Joseph to be the foster father of Jesus and our spiritual father. Teach us to be like him, humble and obedient, calm but strong. Help us to be like St Joseph who always listen to Your words that we may always follow Your holy will in our life. All this we asked in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
“When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him.”
I have known St Joseph to be a low profile foster father of Jesus. There’s not much story about him in the Bible. He must be a very good carpenter and must be a loving husband to Mama Mary and for sure loving father to Jesus. He accompanied Jesus for about 30 years and it must be from him and of course Mama Mary that that Jesus learned the value of obedience.
Nowadays obedience is an expensive virtue. Because of the world we live in today or the influence of the world, many children and even parents don’t value obedience anymore. Children have become so open minded that they question what their parents would tell them to do. Of course there are still exceptions.
I grew up in a very authoritative environment having a father who is from the military. Discipline was really instilled on us his children and the Fourth Commandment “Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother” is a common reminder. He always tell us “obey, there’s no other way!”. So I’ve grown to be an obedient child. And I guess this has also prepared me in my spiritual journey to always listen to God and do His will. And it has also helped me in rearing my children as most of them obey us their parents.
One of my favorite verses from the Old Testament is from Jeremiah 7:23 “Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper.” St Joseph must have also put these words in his heart as he was very obedient to what the angel of the Lord told him. And I believe God chose him to be the foster father of Jesus because of his obedient heart. He follows what God tells him to do and remained faithful. He is also a very cool man. I love the statue of the sleeping St Joseph. It keeps me still when the troubles of the world overcome me. We can go to St Joseph to calm us down and learn from his obedient and faithful heart.
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