Sunday Meditation: The Upright Man

In the Fourth and final Sunday of Advent in Year A, we meet a man who can only be characterized as upright and righteous.  We meet Joseph, the husband of Mary, who had every justification to leave his betrothed from what appeared as infidelity but didn’t.  He didn’t because first and foremost he did the will of God who provided what had to be an outlandish explanation for her pregnancy but second because Joseph was made of good wood.  He had been formed to always do the right and unselfish thing.  Matthew would later write in Chapter 6:

 

43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil [a]treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Actually Joseph never speaks but out of Joseph’s heart compassion and goodness leads him to accept the will of God.  I have a personal prayer to St. Joseph that begins with;

“O good St, Joseph, father, husband, protector, provider, show me the way to goodness, prudence, and faith.  Show me the way to virtuous manhood so I can lead my family for the glory of God.” 

It’s a prayer I wrote myself and I’m very proud of it.  He is a model for my life.

 

Here is the Gospel passage.

 

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.

Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,

yet unwilling to expose her to shame,

decided to divorce her quietly.

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.

She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,

because he will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means "God is with us."

When Joseph awoke,

he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him

and took his wife into his home.

~Mt 11:2-11

 

Archbishop Wiesenberger gives another superb homily explaining the context and significance of the passage.

“So am I Ahaz or am I Joseph?”  But the truth is that’s too simple.  The truth is messier.  I suspect the truth there’s a little of Joseph and Ahaz in each of us.”  May the Lord show us the way for us to be “trust in the power of God’s love over the power of this world.”  May the Lord show us to be Joseph!

The pastoral homily will not actually be a homily but a reflection on St. Joseph the foster father of Jesus from My Catholic Life!

Gee, I thought that was excellent. My Catholic Life! also has a website providing a resource into Catholic devotions and daily reflections.  Today is a perfect day to meditate on the role St. Joseph plays not just in the life of the Church but in our individual lives.  How does St. Joseph shape your life?

 

Sunday Meditation: "When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.”

For today’s hymn I think the Hillbilly Thomists’ “Good Tree” makes for a great reflection on St. Joseph.

“From a tiny seed grows a good tree.”  I love the Hillbilly Thomists!