On St Joseph
From AmericanCatholic's Saint of the Day:
he Bible pays Joseph the highest compliment: he was a just man. The quality meant a lot more than faithfulness in paying debts.
When the Bible speaks of God justifying someone, it means that God, the all-holy or righteous One, so transforms a person that the individual shares somehow in Gods own holiness, and hence it is really right for God to love him or her. In other words, God is not playing games, acting as if we were lovable when we are not.
By saying Joseph was just, the Bible means that he was one who was completely open to all that God wanted to do for him. He became holy by opening himself totally to God.
The rest we can easily surmise. Think of the kind of love with which he wooed and won Mary, and the depth of the love they shared during their marriage.
It is no contradiction of Josephs manly holiness that he decided to divorce Mary when she was found to be with child. The important words of the Bible are that he planned to do this quietly because he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame (Matthew 1:19).
The just man was simply, joyfully, wholeheartedly obedient to Godin marrying Mary, in naming Jesus, in shepherding the precious pair to Egypt, in bringing them to Nazareth, in the undetermined number of years of quiet faith and courage.
Comment:
The Bible tells us nothing of Joseph in the years after the return to Nazareth except the incident of finding Jesus in the Temple (see Luke 2:41–51). Perhaps this can be taken to mean that God wants us to realize that the holiest family was like every other family, that the circumstances of life for the holiest family were like those of every family, so that when Jesus mysterious nature began to appear, people couldnt believe that he came from such humble beginnings: Is he not the carpenters son? Is not his mother named Mary...? (Matthew 13:55a). It was almost as indignant as Can anything good come from Nazareth? (John 1:46b).
Quote:
He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Josephs wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord (St. Bernardine of Siena).
(This entry appears in the print edition of Saint of the Day.)
---
From Opus Dei :
March 19, 2009
“Get to know Joseph and you will find Jesus”
Love Saint Joseph a lot. Love him with all your soul, because he, together with Jesus, is the person who has most loved our Blessed Lady and been closest to God. He is the person who has most loved God, after our Mother. He deserves your affection, and it will do you good to get to know him, because he is the Master of the interior life, and has great power before the Lord and before the Mother of God. (The Forge, 554)
In human life, Joseph was Jesus’ master in their daily contact, full of refined affection, glad to deny himself to take better care of Jesus. Isn’t that reason enough for us to consider this just man, this holy patriarch, in whom the faith of the old covenant bears fruit, as a master of interior life? Interior life is nothing but continual and direct conversation with Christ, so as to become one with him. And Joseph can tell us many things about Jesus. Therefore, never neglect devotion to him — Ite ad Ioseph: “Go to Joseph” — as christian tradition puts it in the words of the Old Testament.
A master of interior life, a worker deeply involved in his job, God’s servant in continual contact with Jesus: that is Joseph. Ite ad Ioseph. With St Joseph, the Christian learns what it means to belong to God and fully to assume one’s place among men, sanctifying the world. Get to know Joseph and you will find Jesus. Talk to Joseph and you will find Mary, who always sheds peace about her in that attractive workshop in Nazareth. (Christ is passing by, 56)
The whole Church recognizes St Joseph as a patron and guardian. For centuries many different features of his life have caught the attention of believers. He was a man ever faithful to the mission God gave him. That is why, for many years now, I have liked to address him affectionately as “our father and lord.”
St Joseph really is a father and lord. He protects those who revere him and accompanies them on their journey through this life — just as he protected and accompanied Jesus when he was growing up. (Christ is passing by, 39) [Top]
http://www.opusdei.us/art.php?p=12802
he Bible pays Joseph the highest compliment: he was a just man. The quality meant a lot more than faithfulness in paying debts.
When the Bible speaks of God justifying someone, it means that God, the all-holy or righteous One, so transforms a person that the individual shares somehow in Gods own holiness, and hence it is really right for God to love him or her. In other words, God is not playing games, acting as if we were lovable when we are not.
By saying Joseph was just, the Bible means that he was one who was completely open to all that God wanted to do for him. He became holy by opening himself totally to God.
The rest we can easily surmise. Think of the kind of love with which he wooed and won Mary, and the depth of the love they shared during their marriage.
It is no contradiction of Josephs manly holiness that he decided to divorce Mary when she was found to be with child. The important words of the Bible are that he planned to do this quietly because he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame (Matthew 1:19).
The just man was simply, joyfully, wholeheartedly obedient to Godin marrying Mary, in naming Jesus, in shepherding the precious pair to Egypt, in bringing them to Nazareth, in the undetermined number of years of quiet faith and courage.
Comment:
The Bible tells us nothing of Joseph in the years after the return to Nazareth except the incident of finding Jesus in the Temple (see Luke 2:41–51). Perhaps this can be taken to mean that God wants us to realize that the holiest family was like every other family, that the circumstances of life for the holiest family were like those of every family, so that when Jesus mysterious nature began to appear, people couldnt believe that he came from such humble beginnings: Is he not the carpenters son? Is not his mother named Mary...? (Matthew 13:55a). It was almost as indignant as Can anything good come from Nazareth? (John 1:46b).
Quote:
He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Josephs wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord (St. Bernardine of Siena).
(This entry appears in the print edition of Saint of the Day.)
---
From Opus Dei :
March 19, 2009
“Get to know Joseph and you will find Jesus”
Love Saint Joseph a lot. Love him with all your soul, because he, together with Jesus, is the person who has most loved our Blessed Lady and been closest to God. He is the person who has most loved God, after our Mother. He deserves your affection, and it will do you good to get to know him, because he is the Master of the interior life, and has great power before the Lord and before the Mother of God. (The Forge, 554)
In human life, Joseph was Jesus’ master in their daily contact, full of refined affection, glad to deny himself to take better care of Jesus. Isn’t that reason enough for us to consider this just man, this holy patriarch, in whom the faith of the old covenant bears fruit, as a master of interior life? Interior life is nothing but continual and direct conversation with Christ, so as to become one with him. And Joseph can tell us many things about Jesus. Therefore, never neglect devotion to him — Ite ad Ioseph: “Go to Joseph” — as christian tradition puts it in the words of the Old Testament.
A master of interior life, a worker deeply involved in his job, God’s servant in continual contact with Jesus: that is Joseph. Ite ad Ioseph. With St Joseph, the Christian learns what it means to belong to God and fully to assume one’s place among men, sanctifying the world. Get to know Joseph and you will find Jesus. Talk to Joseph and you will find Mary, who always sheds peace about her in that attractive workshop in Nazareth. (Christ is passing by, 56)
The whole Church recognizes St Joseph as a patron and guardian. For centuries many different features of his life have caught the attention of believers. He was a man ever faithful to the mission God gave him. That is why, for many years now, I have liked to address him affectionately as “our father and lord.”
St Joseph really is a father and lord. He protects those who revere him and accompanies them on their journey through this life — just as he protected and accompanied Jesus when he was growing up. (Christ is passing by, 39) [Top]
http://www.opusdei.us/art.php?p=12802
posted by angelo at 7:18 PM
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