Joseph: An Image Of What A Father Means
Solemnity of Saint Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (A)
My dear encountered couples:
Today, is the feast of St. Joseph, husband of Mary. We honor Joseph, the man who served as the father of Jesus, who taught his son not only scripture and carpentry, but who showed him about a father’s deep love, about service, kindness, and care for the poor. It was Joseph whose fatherly love shaped Jesus’ image of what a father means.
We can imagine what Joseph was like by the way Jesus offers us an image of God as a loving, forgiving father. Joseph’s patient, caring style of teaching shaped the image Jesus had of Father, and when he wanted us to have an image of a warm loving God, he offered us an image of Father.
On this feast of St. Joseph honoring his role as a husband, we also remember him as a father to Jesus. Today we can take that image of loving parent and use it our relationship to God. Special words are not necessary to speak. We can talk to God simply from our hearts and share what we are burdened with and what we long for in our lives. And then we can listen.
Let us turn to Joseph and ask him to intercede for us – so good, so hard working, so stretched and yet devoted to us. Let us also include in our prayers for all husbands, in cultures where the male and husband identity can be so distorted. May there be grace and blessings on all fathers and husbands today in ways that help them, through the example and inspiration of Joseph.
