Word to the Wise
Friday, March 19, 2021 - March 19: St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary (transferred to Monday 3/20 if 3/19 is a Sunday; exception for 2008: transferred to Saturday, 3/15/08)
[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,69]"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 save his people from their sins." [Matthew]
For someone who is barely mentioned in the gospels (only in Matthew and Luke and only in the "infancy narratives"), Joseph has a lot of influence! Pope Francis has just declared a "Year of Joseph," and he is already the patron saint of too many things to list here. Anyone interested in how powerful his influence is can visit the enormous Shrine of St. Joseph in Montreal, Canada, that is the result of the faith and efforts of a Holy Cross brother, St. Andre Bessette, CSC. One might speak to the LIttle Sisters of the Poor who time and again in cases of great need would write the need down on a slip of paper and put it beneath the statue of St. Joseph. Bingo! Results obtained! Or, on a slightly more mundane level, I frequently hear of the devotion of burying a statuette of St. Joseph (some say it has to be upside down) on real estate or home that one wants to sell. There is currently a national program called "Consecration to St. Joseph" that is popular with male Catholic students. Last (no pun intended) but not least St. Joseph is the patron of a happy death!!!
The first two scriptures assigned for the celebration of the Eucharist on this day focus on God's promise/plan of salvation made to Abraham and David. Joseph is addressed in the account from Matthew as "Joseph, son of David." Joseph becomes a necessary part of that plan. There's no question that he was a man of faith and courage to marry a pregnant lady who was bearing someone else's child!
Popular devotion has given rise to many different inspirations from St. Joseph. I mentioned only a few just now. One may pick and choose from those inspirations and devotions, but his role as a willing participant in God's mysterious plan of salvation remains the starting point for it all! AMEN