Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Intention: For justice in our world, especially for all who are forgotten or excluded, abandoned or abused, persecuted or exploited, that people of good will might rise to their defense and come to their aid.
Today’s Gospel | Matthew 1:16,18-21,24a
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.
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. 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.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
Reflection
There is a popular Lenten poster that reads, “If giving up chocolate has left us longing for chocolate rather than for God, perhaps this would be a good time to reassess.” With apologies to those for whom abstaining from chocolate can be a near-Herculean task, the suggestion to examine our ideas about Lenten sacrifice could be a helpful one. Consider the biblical tale of a humble village handyman who was asked to put his life on the line, not once but twice.
The story of Saint Joseph is one of the more intriguing narratives in the Gospels. Consider his situation. First, he has been told by his betrothed, Mary, that she is carrying a child and that he knows cannot be his. Not only is this personally crushing but, once it becomes known, will mean social humiliation for him and contempt and possibly death for Mary. Then, he is told in a dream to simply accept all of this and allow everything to unfold however it may. Faced with an incredible moment of decision, what Joseph does next gives us a powerful lesson on the nature of true sacrifice.
Incredibly, Joseph says yes. In a moment that surpassed simple obedience to the will of God, Joseph agreed to enter into an utterly new reality that would change both his life and him in ways that he could not possibly fathom, but only trust. Like his wife had done and like his son would do, Joseph chose to empty himself for God. His sacrifice transcended the mere act of giving up something. Joseph would live his life as a constant act of giving up everything.
And so, from Joseph we learn that the difference between the making of a sacrifice and living in the spirit of sacrifice. Making a sacrifice requires giving after weighing the cost; living in the spirit of sacrifice requires giving regardless of the cost. It is about our on-going conversion to a vision and purpose beyond our own, a dying to self that makes new and saving life possible in ourselves and in the world. The Lenten call to sacrifice may begin as an exercise in choosing something to which we are prepared to say no, but it points us on the way to realizing what it is to what we must ultimately dare to say yes. As the author James Hollingworth once wrote, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than one’s fear.”
Prayer
Eternal Father, your gift of salvation was made possible by the “yes” that both your Son and our Blessed Mother said to your will. In this time of Lent, help us to imitate them, to say yes when you ask. Give us eyes that see wisely and hearts that are at one with your ways. Increase our faith, and may we make ourselves poor and empty ourselves of all selfishness so that you can use us to be instruments of your saving presence. We ask this of you who lives and reigns with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.