Word to the Wise
Saturday, March 19, 2011 - March 19 - St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
[2 Sam 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16; Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22; Matt 1:16, 18-21, 24a or Luke 2:41-51a]"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it s through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear of 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.
We don't know a lot about Joseph, the husband of Mary, but what we do know is important. We know that he was a righteous man and handled the unexpected pregnancy in a very compassionate and faith-filled manner. We know that he was a descendant of King David, which was an important element of God's promise in the Old Testament (cf. the first scripture for today from 2 Samuel. We know that he was obedient on many levels: to the angel (God) who spoke to him in dreams on several occasions, to the Mosaic law (the presentation in the temple) and to the Roman law (census). We know that he was solicitous about the safety of Mary and Jesus (flight into Egypt and the search for the lost child). One could say that's all we need to know. He has no "speaking part" in the story.
Yet, Joseph has many prestigious titles - patron of the Universal Church, patron saint of Canada, Italy, etc.. A visit to the huge Oratory of St. Joseph in Montreal, Canada, will demonstrate what devotion to Joseph can accomplish! That same devotion is shown in the famous St. Joseph Altars that are set up in New Orleans and Southeastern Louisiana where there are numbers of folks of Sicilian Italian descent. The Little Sisters of the Poor, who operate very fine nursing homes, testify over and over again to their practice of placing a slip of paper under the statue of St. Joseph when they were in desperate need and receiving help each time! Last, and certainly not least in the affection of the public, is his ability to sell real estate!
Today is his day. We can be thankful for all his wonderful qualities in fulfilling God's plan, and for his help in selling the house. AMEN
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