Thursday of the Third Week of Lent (March 19, 2009)
I just spotted our blessed Mother sitting under a tree. There is a man next to her. Who is that man? I do not recognize him. He must be one of our journey companions since I have seen him walking with us a few times, I just wasn’t paying too much attention. As I approach Mary, she introduces him. “This is my husband Joseph.” No wonder I didn’t recognize him. I really don’t know him. The Bible doesn’t talk much about Joseph, so all my life I have ignored him.
Today is the feast of St. Joseph. Since last night I have been reading about him. Oh how I wish I had paid more attention to him in the past. He is such a good model to imitate. He can teach us about obedience, humility, respect, unselfish love, faith, trust… and so many other virtues. He accepted God’s command without question. He had such a good heart that even before the angel appeared to him in a dream, he “decided to divorce Mary quietly”(Matthew 1:19). He had to feel betrayed, yet instead of expressing his anger by accusing her publicly and having her stoned, he kept his pain to himself and was “unwilling to expose her to shame”(Matthew 1:19).
St. Joseph has been walking with us. Did anyone notice him? We have been so preoccupied with our own problems, trying to carry our heavy crosses, dragging our sorrows along the way, that we have not bothered to notice the persons around us, the saints and angels that are making our walk a little easier. We have been concentrating on the obstacles, instead of on the tools that Jesus places in our path to help us. We are exactly half way to our destination. Yes, we still have to go through the cross to experience the resurrection, but we need to pay attention to the good things around us instead of drilling on all the bad things.
Joseph, be our guide and pattern,
Faithful to your sacred trust,
Strong protector of the Virgin
And the infant Jesus Christ.
Joseph, firm and faithful, guide us,
Joseph, walk the way with us.
Faithful to the guiding vision,
List’ning to the angel’s word;
Shielding Mary from all slander,
Guarding Christ, both Son and Lord.
Joseph, true and trusting, guide us,
Joseph, walk the way with us.
-Magnificat March 2009, pg 265
Today, let’s honor the fathers in our lives, who without too much pump and circumstance, provide us with their unending love and support. They work tirelessly for their families and never ask for anything in return.
“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Luke 11:23
Thursday of the Third Week of Lent (March 8, 2018)
Since this year Lent does not fall on the same days than it did nine years ago, we are not celebrating the feast of St. Joseph today. We will celebrate it in eleven days. But, regardless, St. Joseph is walking with us.
Even after getting to know St. Joseph a little bit better nine years ago, I still don’t pray too much to him. I have a better relationship with Mary than I do with him. He eludes me. This year, I’m going to try to develop a closer relationship with him. Tomorrow, I will start to pray the Novena to St. Joseph. Hopefully, this will help me to get to know him better, and develop a closer relationship with him.
St. Joseph is the patron saint of fathers, families, married couples, and he is also the patron saint of a happy death. The reason for this is that he died in the arms of Jesus and Mary. How awesome is that, and that is exactly what all of us should aspire to. Let’s pray to St. Joseph that when our time comes, we can also die in the arms of Jesus and Mary, and thus experience a happy death.
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