TODAY IS MARCH 1ST 2022. THE CHURCH HONORS ST JOSEPH IN THE MONTH OF MARCH. HOW? WE REMEMBER HIM IN OUR DAILY PRAYERS. WE LOVINGLY ASK FOR FAVORS FROM HIM.
WHO IS ST JOSEPH?
ST JOSEPH IS THE HUSBAND OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, THE FOSTER FATHER OF JESUS CHRIST, THE GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH AND A TRUSTED FRIEND AT THE HOUR OF DEATH.
"Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come." (Mark 10: 28 - 30).
Tuesday March 1st in the 8th Week in Ordinary Time.
Our key Scripture for today is a tremendous promise of our Lord Jesus Christ. This promise motivated His disciples to join the Jesus Revolution. It still motivates the young novice in 2022 to enter a religious congregation and the missionary to pack her bag for a missionary field in a distant land. Jesus promises that anyone who leaves everything for His "sake and for the sake of the gospel will receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands."
How do we know that this promise is true? Is there any proof that it has ever been fulfilled in the past? The answer is:
#1. If the promise has never been fulfilled, there will be no new missionaries or martyrs in the Church. People are going to the mission fields every day and people are laying down their lives for Jesus Christ every day.
#2. Consider a few modern saints: John Paul II, Mother Teresa of Kolkata, Fulton Sheen, etc. They gave up everything and followed Jesus. While still living on earth, they were filled with divine comfort and joy and eternal life when they died.
What is eternal life? Eternal life is the Abundant life we enjoy when we are filled with the Holy Spirit and with His gifts and fruits. This life is compatible with the suffering that Jesus promises His disciples in our key Scripture: The great promise comes "with persecutions."
Can you take this?
"Let them beg Me for the grace of spiritual fatherhood, and I will give it to them in abundance. Such a man was Saint Joseph. He was the living image of My Father, and he was chosen by My Father to be a father to Me in My sacred humanity. Let My priests go to Saint Joseph. He will obtain for them this priceless gift of spiritual fatherhood, and he will guide them in the delicate and difficult work of being true fathers to souls." (IN SINU JESU, Friday, November 15, 2013).
Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com
I am not sure my question was printed as I am not tech savvy and had to change my password ( I think). My question is why is St. Joseph referred to as Jesus’ Foster Father and not “Step-Father”? Foster parents have no physical relationship to the child. Mary was Jesus’ Mother. She conceived Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Mary gave birth to Jesus. St. Joseph was Mary’s husband. Any thoughts?
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ReplyDeleteThey didn't call it step father in those days. Foster Father is the proper word
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