ST. JOSEPH: A MAN OF DREAMS AND A MAN OF ACTION! ~ CookingFood.Org

“GENEROUS LENT 2017”

Lenten Reflections

Monday, 20^th March 2017.

Third Week of Lent

Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Blessed Virgin Mary

2Sam 7:4-5,12-14,16;

Ps 89:2-5,27,29;

Rom 4:13,16-18,22;

Mt 1:16,18-21,24 or Lk 2:41-51

ST. JOSEPH: A MAN OF DREAMS AND A MAN OF ACTION!

“When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him” (Mt 1:24). These last words from today Gospel sum up the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary. The Scriptures tell us that Joseph was the son of Jacob and husband of Mary and a carpenter from Nazareth. After his betrothal to Mary, on finding her pregnant before they started living together, Joseph being a man faithful to the law, avoided public scandal and had decided to divorce her quietly. God spoke to him in his dreams and he followed his dreams. An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and revealed God’s plan for mankind, and he took Mary home as his wife.

Interestingly, Joseph never speaks anything in the Gospel. But he’s a man of action: he does what the angel tells him; he takes Mary as his wife; he goes to Bethlehem; he finds a place to stay for the night; he takes his family to Egypt. Though he is not a man of words, he is surely a man of action. God had a plan for Joseph, and he longed to do God’s will. He was a man after God’s will. Anxiety of the future, his worthiness and external obstacles did not hinder his desire to fulfill God’s will. Since he was faithful to fulfilling God’s plan, God accompanied him through his life always.

The first reading from the book of Samuel and the Responsorial Psalm tells us about a promise to King David that his son will live forever. David, however never lived to see this promised fulfilled. In the second reading from Romans, Paul tells the Romans about Abraham, another upright man who never saw the fruit of his work. He did God’s will, but never saw the fulfillment of God’s promise to him. Though it was not fulfilled in his lifetime, he hoped and believed and this faith in the Lord justified him. In the Gospel we see Joseph who had faith in the Lord. He went through all obstacles unflinchingly through that faith. He woke up from his dream and set into action. What can we learn from St. Joseph?

Obedience to God rather than Man: The Law told Joseph to leave Mary and have her punished. But he did not listen to his own ideas or what the law and people said. Rather single mindedly he followed God’s command. Joseph was a strong man by obeying God over the pressures of prevailing culture. Does society or my faith effect my decision?

Vocation more important than Career: For Joseph, the plan of God mattered to him more than his social security, career and family. Joseph was a father and husband before he was a carpenter. His God, his family were more important than his trade. His vocation outweighed his career. Does our family matter more to me than my career?

Protector of the household: Joseph was a man who clung to his wife and protected his family. He is thus also called the guardian and protector of the Church. Joseph models a protective instinct that we lack today. Our children are exposed to many dangers like internet, pornography, drugs, etc. How protective are we of our families?

Man of Action: Joseph was a worker, a carpenter. He was not just a dreamer, he was a hardworking man, who earned his living honestly. Joseph models to us this essential aspect of honest labour.

Joseph is referred to as the Guardian and Patron of the Universal Church, for he was guardian, protector and provider of the Church in the earliest stage, when the “Church” was just Jesus, Mary and himself. We will especially do well to imitate St. Joseph and invoke his patronage in all our endeavors as Husbands, Fathers and providers. St. Joseph, pray for us.

Prayer: Lord, May we be imitators of the life of St. Joseph and be willing to fulfill your plan for us without hesitation. Jesus I trust in You. Amen.

Holy Habit for Lent: HARD WORK – Lord help me to be a person of hard labour like St. Joseph. May I not go for shortcuts, rather your plan and will for me. Amen.