Scripture/Bible: and
Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is
called Christ. 17 So all the generations
from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the
deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to
Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. 18 Now
the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been
betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child
of the Holy Spirit; 19 and her husband Joseph,
being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her
quietly. 20 But as he considered this,
behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph,
son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived
in her is of the Holy Spirit; 21 she will bear a son, and
you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their
sins." 22 All this took place to
fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 "Behold,
a virgin shall conceive and bear a son,and his name shall be called
Emmanuel"(which means, God with us). 24 When
Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took
his wife, 25 but knew her not until she
had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus. Matt 1:16-25
Reflection: The
Church today celebrates the feast of St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and the
foster father of Jesus.
Very
little is written about Joseph in the scripture and yet in the little that is
mentioned we know much about Joseph. Jesus and Mary are also expressions and
extension of that quality of Joseph on account of which we can safely deduce many
other qualities of Joseph.
The
Scripture that is apt in the case of St. Joseph is this: “Well done, good and
faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over
much” Matt 25:21
What
could be that ‘much’ that God can set his good and faithful servant over?
Is it
his property, wealth or the created world? Could mean all this and yet much
more; In the incarnation of Jesus, God chose to subject himself to human master
(Phil. 2:6-7) and in entrusting him to Joseph by choice he chose what was best
among the human race; Joseph like Mary, in retrospect, was found good and faithful in God’s
household. Therefore he entrusted to St.
Joseph, Jesus his Son; into the care of one of the best we can have!
The
scripture further communicates this thought when in v/s 19 it speaks that
Joseph was a just or righteous man.
Only
he is righteous who has put his trust in God, seeks to do what is just and
continues to repose his faith in God in all of one’s life. (Rom. 3:28; Eph. 2:8; Gal. 3:11, 24). Thus being a righteous man,
he was considered a good and faithful servant.
We
in ordinary human life do honor and respect the just and holy men, yet they
could be the most ridiculed and persecuted and
we could let out our anger and frustration on these chosen one’s of
God. The onslaught in some quarters
against St. Joseph is nothing short of the evil designs of men and women
opposed to the accomplishing of God’s work through his holy ones. They intercede for us and are models of true
faithfulness, so that we imitate their example of righteous deeds.
Prayer: St.
Joseph, foster father of our Lord Jesus Christ; pray for us!
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