DIDACHE Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary IT’S TIME! Joseph, son of David… – Matthew 1:20 I was in a conference and one of the speakers said, “You’ve got to believe that God is doing something in this country. You’ve got to realize that there was a generation before this generation, and even a generation before that, who prayed for this to occur. They believed God would bring about this renewal. You’ve got to believe that you are part of this chain of believers. That you are the fruit of their prayers. How dare you say, ‘I’m not good enough’?” That hit me like a block of ice. You see, one of the major barriers for me, and for many who desire to serve the Lord, is the feeling of unworthiness. I would hold back, back out or give up! After hearing that message, I realized how proud I was to think that there was no deeper meaning behind all that’s happened so far in my life. Like St. Joseph, God had me in mind long ago. I just need to say yes and fulfill His plan for me. Later that day, I received a simple gift of a pen and paper from a friend. Fresh with the realization above, I was urgently but pleasantly surprised. Printed on them was a sentence of two words: “It’s time!” Friend, what is God’s call for you? Dare to say yes to God and let Him increase in your life. Jonathan Yogawin (jyogawin@gmail) Reflection: It’s time... Don’t you think so? As you come before the Lord today, let Him qualify and complete whatever is lacking in you. Let Him give you hope. Lord, I believe You have destined me for greatness. May I say yes to Your marvelous plan for me. I trust in You! St. Joseph, husband of Mary, principal patron of Canada, pray for us. Didache | Companion | Sabbath COMPANION 1ST READING Joseph is a silent partner in the work of salvation. Jesus and Mary are much more prominent than he is in the accounts the Gospels give us. Yet, he would have been an extremely important influence on Jesus as His foster father. Let us never doubt the important role we have to play in God’s work of salvation. If we do not do it, who will? 2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16 4 The Lord spoke to Nathan and said: 5 “Go, tell my servant David, 12 ‘When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. 13 It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever. 14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. 16 Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’ ” P S A L M Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29 R: The son of David will live for ever. 1 [2] The promise of the Lord I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. 2 [3] For you have said, “My kindness is established forever;” in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. (R) 3 [4] “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: 4 [5] Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.” (R) 26 [27] “He shall say of me, ‘You are my father, my God, the rock, my savior.’ 28 [29] Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him, and my covenant with him stands firm.” (R) 2ND READING Abraham is presented as the “Father of Faith.” Joseph, even though we know very little about him, can also be for us a model of faith and trust in God. Even if we are told very little about him, let us trust our belief that he was a good father to Jesus and seek his intercession that all fathers may truly do the best for their wives and children. Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22 13 Brothers and sisters: It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. 16 For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written, “I have made you father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. 18 He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “Thus shall your descendants be.” 22 That is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” GOSPEL Joseph’s role as the husband of Mary takes many crucial turns. He has to spirit them both away to Egypt in order to flee the massacre of the innocents by Herod. I am sure he had a role in teaching Jesus the trade of carpentry and how to be a faithful Jewish man. He is a role model for all fathers. Let us ask his intercession for them regularly. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord; they never cease to praise you. Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24 (or Luke 2:41-51) 16 Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. 18 Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. 20 Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “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. 21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. think: Let us never doubt the important role we have to play in God’s work of salvation. T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: __________________ ____________________________________ God’s special verse/thought for me today_ _____________________________________ READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Genesis 19-21 Didache | Companion | Sabbath SABBATH JOSEPH, THE JUST ONE As library director at San Carlos Seminary, I usually spend my days off visiting bookstores and checking out the latest titles available in philosophy, theology, the social sciences, etc. One afternoon, I saw a fellow priest, known to be prayerful, prim and proper, looking very engaged with the book he was browsing. I thought of creeping up from behind and surprising him. Stealthily I approached him from his blind side and poked two fingers into his side. With a loud shout he blurted out, “Oh, my Lord!” That left a deep imprint on me. Even when caught off guard, he was prayerful, prim and proper. His reputation matched his reality. If that was me, you wouldn’t want to hear what I could have said. Today, we honor Joseph, husband of Mary, foster father of Jesus, guardian of the Holy Family. Throughout Scriptures and in Christian tradition, he is honored as the “just” man — a man of integrity, a man who had a holy fear of the Lord and who strove to live a life pleasing to God inside and out. A just man is one whose reputation matches his reality. I like the imagery used by C.S. Lewis in his classic book, Mere Christianity. He said that you will know if there are rats in the cellar when you walk in suddenly. The suddenness of one’s arrival does not create the rats; it only prevents them from hiding. In other words, if you want to know what your true character is, observe yourself when you are caught off guard, because character is who you are when no one is looking at you. Wasn’t Joseph caught off guard by the sudden pregnancy of Mary? Didn’t Joseph display his character when he didn’t want to expose Mary to shame and ridicule and just divorce her quietly even before the circumstances of Mary’s pregnancy were revealed to him later by an angel? By law Joseph could have filed a complaint and had Mary stoned to death. But Joseph would have none of that. He would rather suffer quietly and offer himself freely under God’s pleasure. He was truly a just man. Fr. Joel Jason REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Does your reputation match your reality? What do you do when no one is looking at you? Where do you go when no one is looking at you? What do your lips say when no one can hear you? Lord, You know my every thought, word and deed. I’m sorry for the times they didn’t please You.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 21:40:49 +0000
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