Word to the Wise
Thursday, March 19, 2009 - St.Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
[2 Samuel 7:4-5A, 12-14A, 16; Romans 4:13, 16-18; Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24A]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 sae his people from their sins.
When someone mentions the feast of the Annunciation (March 25), I would wager that the image that pops into the Catholic mind is the one of the angel appearing to Mary and all the dialogue that occurs on that occasion, ending with the well-known words, "I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word." However, there is another "annunciation story" which appears in the Gospel of Matthew! In this story, the angel comes to Joseph in a dream (like the Joseph in Genesis). In fact this would be the first of three, maybe four (depending on how one counts the last one) encounters with "dream angels" after which Joseph takes decisive action to protect Mary and the all-important Child! The first one leads him to follow through on his engagement to Mary. The second tells him to take Mom and Child and flee to Egypt. The third tells him when it is safe to return. And the fourth (if it wasn't part of the third) tells him where to settle the family! Although Joseph's theological significance appears to be focused on the fact that he was descended from King David, it would seem to me that he had more to do than just "give the kid a name!" Lord knows enough has been written about all this. I'm particularly partial to Fr. Raymond Brown's commentary in THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH. A lot has been DONE as well. Go visit the enormous shrine of St. Joseph in Montreal! When the Little Sisters of the Poor need something in a crisis, they've been known to put a slip of paper with the request under the statue of St. Joseph at their nursing homes and, sure enough, a truck shows up with whatever is needed! Those who visit Catholic "supply" stores are familiar with the container of little statues of St. Joseph to be buried in real estate one hopes to sell! Joseph has come a long way and although I can't speak for him, I can't help but think that he is bemused at the variety of causes he is called upon to serve as patron or lobbyist for! But then again, all that fame comes from his initial acts of courage in putting his trust in "dream angels." AMEN
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