The faith and docility of St Joseph.

“St. Joseph was an ordinary sort of man on whom God relied to do great things. He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do, in each and every event that went to make up his life. That is why Scripture praises Joseph as ‘a just man’. And in Hebrew a just man means a good and faithful servant of God, someone who fulfills the divine will, or who is honorable and charitable toward his neighbor.” (St. Josemaria Escriva).

"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.  (Matthew 1: 18 - 24).

Sunday 18th December 2022 of the 4th Week of Advent.

Here comes Joseph! The three members of the Holy Family are named in our Gospel of today: Mary, Joseph and Jesus-Emmanuel.
Who is Joseph?

St Joseph is the man chosen by God to be the foster father and guardian of Jesus.

God communicates with us through a variety of ways, viz:
#1. Inspiration
#2. Locution
#3. Sacred Scripture
#4.  Prophetic person /message
#5.  Dream

St Joseph is a man of dreams.  Matthew recorded 4 Dreams of Joseph in the Infancy Narrative:
1. Matthew 1: 24
2. Matthew 2: 13
3. Matthew 2: 19
4. Matthew 2:  22

"When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home."  (Matthew 1: 24).
Joseph is a very docile and obedient man.

Joseph is a just and considerate man.  Consider what he did faced with the evidence that Mary was carrying a child not his own:
"Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly."  (Matthew 1:  19).

Joseph is a man of high purity and chastity. God chose him to be the husband of Mary because God had fitted him with the appropriate graces to protect the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Joseph the humble carpenter is the patron saint of workers.  He understands that genuine labor is collaborating with God where, what and when you are assigned.

The Church considers St Joseph the greatest Saint after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Joseph is so fittingly named the Patron of the Universal Church.  Remember that he was the Guardian of Jesus and in his intercessory role, you can believe that Jesus will deny nothing to Joseph.

One week today is the end of Waiting. The Glorious Christmas!

"O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power!"

"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).

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What are the lessons of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ?

For the Evangelist St Matthew, Jesus Christ is the Son of David and and is truly the Messiah promised by God.

"The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham........Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah."  (Matthew 1: 1 - 2 & 15 - 16).

Saturday 17th December 2022 of the 3rd Week of Advent. From 17th December, we are one week to the Eve of Christmas Day. The Church starts singing the O - Antiphons.
Pay attention to the readings at Mass.

Do you consider the Genealogy of Jesus Christ boring? Not when you understand the purpose for its inclusion in Sacred Scriptures. The Holy Spirit, the Author of the Sacred Text does not waste words as human authors do. Here are a few reasons for the Genealogy or Family History of Jesus Christ:

#1 Jesus Christ is truly God and truly Man. He descended from the lines of Abraham and David.
#2 His human family is not perfect (like His Church is not perfect). It contains saints and sinners. Jesus was not ashamed of His family nor was He ever tempted to deny them.
#3 His family lineage was planned by God from the foundation of the ages. So do not be scandalized by what you see.
#4 By the time Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, gone were the days of the great patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and great kings like David and Solomon. What we have are common folks like Joseph and Mary. God has a plan that will lead us to the humble stable in Bethlehem where Jesus will be born, the King of the Jews. He will be born the poor son of the Virgin of Nazareth.

The Genealogy teaches us that God is merciful and faithful. God did not choose the best and filtered humanity. He chose whom He pleases, a mixed bag.
"God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure." (Ephesians I: 5 NLT)

God had decreed that the Redeemer will come out of real humanity.

“The deliverer will come out of Zion, he will turn away godlessness from Jacob;
and this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11: 26 - 27).

"In respect to election, they are beloved because of the patriarchs.  For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable."  (Romans 11: 28 - 29).

Again: "The gift and the call of God are irrevocable." Amen!

The Church teaches that it will arrive at its perfection in the Escathon, the End of the age.  As we make our pilgrimage towards our home, the Church labors to grow in the fullness of truth and charity.  Each life committed to Christ hastens the Second Coming.

"O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!"

Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus!

"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).

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My works are sufficient testimony to my identity.

"The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart." (St Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church).

"Jesus said to the Jews: “You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth. I do not accept testimony from a human being, but I say this so that you may be saved.

"John was a burning and shining lamp, and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.

"But I have testimony greater than John’s.

"The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me.” (Luke 5: 33 - 36).

Friday December 16th 2022 of the 3rd Week of Advent.

Isn't it amazing how Jesus points to His works as reliable testimony of His identity. Think of people who are called Carpenter, Cook, Miller, Smith, etc. These names portrayed the occupation of these people in the middle ages. Last names were not common then as now. Even then, Mr Miller was a partial identification for the man who brews the local beer.

What then do we call Jesus given all that He did? 
And Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them."

Note that this is not a full list of Jesus' ministry. Why did Jesus point to His works at all? Jesus did this to say to anyone who cares to know: IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHO I AM, GO TO THE SCRIPTURES. YOU WILL FIND PLENTY ABOUT ME IN THE SCRIPTURES.

St Jerome, the famed Scripture scholar and Doctor of the Church says: "Ignorance of Scripture is Ignorance of Christ."
As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be.

“Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!  Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”  Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures." (Luke 24: 25 - 27).

Are the signs of the times in the Sacred Scriptures?

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St John the Baptist, Supermodel of Response to the Call of God.

John the Baptist is the Voice of one crying in the Desert to prepare the Way of the Lord. Jesus is the Word of God of whom the Father said: Listen to Him. At the River Jordan, the Word embraced the Voice.

"When the messengers of John the Baptist had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John.

“What did you go out to the desert to see—a reed swayed by the wind?

"Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine garments? Those who dress luxuriously and live sumptuously are found in royal palaces.

"Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom Scripture says:

"Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, he will prepare your way before you.

"I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John; yet the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.”

"(All the people who listened, including the tax collectors, who were baptized with the baptism of John, acknowledged the righteousness of God; but the Pharisees and scholars of the law, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of God for themselves.)"

Thursday December 15th of the 3rd Week of Advent.

This 3rd Week of Advent lectionary is filled with readings on St John the Baptist. Is this an accident? Not at all. Advent is the story of Waiting, the Season of learning what to wait for, why we wait and how to wait.

John the Baptist is the Supermodel of the people who Wait.
What are the characteristics of people who wait?
They are At Once People: They hear the Call. They answer it At Once. No going home to consider it. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the leader of the At Once People in the New Testament. She heard the message from the Archangel Gabriel, she said YES AT ONCE. She learned that Elizabeth was pregnant and the Holy Spirit inspired her to visit Elizabeth. Mary said Yes again At Once.

Other At Once People in the New Testament are: Simeon and Anna who waited for the birth of Jesus for decades. John and James, Peter and Andrew. All these people responded At Once to the Call of God. They marked their response with total dedication and generosity. This is why they are heroes of our Faith. Throughout Church history, countless heroic women and men have joined the ranks of the At Once People.

Say complete Yes to Jesus Now and be an At Once person.

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Feast of St John of the Cross OCARM, Priest and Doctor of the Church.

“The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great light.”  (St John of the Cross, Mystic and Doctor of the Church).

"At that time, John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask,

“Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

"When the men came to the Lord, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’”

"At that time Jesus cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits; he also granted sight to many who were blind.

"And Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.

"And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.” (Luke 7: 18 - 23).

Wednesday 14th December 2022 of the 3rd Week of Advent is the feast of St John of the Cross. (1542 - 1591). Spanish. Priest, Mystic and Doctor of the Church. Called Doctor of Mystical theology because of the depth of his understanding and writings on mysticism. Author of the classic: "The Dark Night of a Soul."

In our key Scripture for today, we see St John the Baptist whom Jesus praised as the greatest prophet seemed to have developed doubts about the identity and mission of Jesus.
Jesus' answer to the disciples of John can be summarized thus: Read the Signs. What am I doing? What am I saying? The Signs shall point you to the truth.

Even though John the Baptist is the greatest prophet ever, even though his credentials are impeccable, John did not possess the fullness of Revelation. Only Jesus the Son of God possesses the fullness of Revelation.

Our saint of today, St John of the Cross suffered much terrible and inhumane persecution and torture from his own confreres, fellow Carmelites. If John of the Cross had asked Jesus: Lord, why is this happening? Jesus would have answered St John of the Cross : "Read the Signs. What am I doing? What am I saying?"  The Signs shall lead to the truth.

St John of the Cross, a Mystic and Doctor of the Church did not possess the fullness of Revelation. Only Jesus Christ possess the fullness of the truth. It is His gracious will to communicate this fullness of the truth to His Church.

In departing this earth, Jesus instructed the Twelve:
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 18 - 20).

How is the Church to exercise this ministry? "Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” (Luke 10: 16).

How do you interpret the signs of the times whether in your life or in the community today? Read the signs. The Church combines the three-legged tool of: Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and Sacred Magisterium to discern God’s will and the fullness of Revelation.  The Signs point to the Alpha and Omega. Jesus Christ promises this. He cannot lie.

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Feast of St Lucy Virgin and Martyr.

"Those whose hearts are pure are temples of the Holy Spirit....
If now, against my will, you cause me to be polluted, a twofold purity will be gloriously imputed to me. ...
No one's body is polluted so as to endanger the soul if it has not pleased the mind." (St Lucy, Virgin and Martyr).

"Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the ­people:

“What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’

"The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but ­afterwards he changed his mind and went.

"The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go.

"Which of the two did his father’s will?”

"They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them,

“Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and ­prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.” (Matthew 21: 28 - 32).

Tuesday 13th of December 2022 of the 3rd Week of Advent is the feast of St Lucy, Virgin and Martyr.
Lucy was born circa 283 AD in a noble Roman family. She consecrated her virginity early to Jesus Christ. When she refused to marry Paschasius, he was enraged and reported her to the government as a Christian. When all efforts to make Lucy change her mind failed, she was condemned to death. She was tortured and her two eyes were gorged out.

Lucy died a martyr under Emperor Diocletian (+304).  Lucy is the patron saint of the blind and all those who have eye trouble. Lucy had been venerated as a saint from antiquity. Her name is included in the Roman Canon.

What is possibly the best and most important thing you can do for yourself and your family in the next several days left in Advent?
Reconciliation! Reconciliation! Reconciliation!
Why do I say this? Because the grace of the Advent Reconciliation is comparable to that of Lenten Reconciliation. Lent and Advent are two special seasons of Mercy in the Church. They are times of favor. The appointed time for special release of all types of graces and healing.

Do not harden your heart. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. He is waiting for you with open arms. Rush to Him.

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The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

“I have great hopes in your love for Christ and for men. There is a great deal to be done. Let us set out with renewed enthusiasm; united with Christ, under the motherly gaze of the Virgin, Our Lady of Guadalupe the sweet mother of priests and religious.” (Pope John Paul II)

"The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.

"And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”

"But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

"Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

"But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”

"And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

"Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”

"Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her." (Luke 1: 25 - 38).

Monday 12th December 2022 of the 3rd Week of Advent is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The Church honors the Mother of the Redeemer with the title of Lady, Mother, Queen, Virgin, etc. Different titles to honor and show our love and devotion to the Holy Mother of God. The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe started in 1531 long before the United States of America. Mary appeared to Juan Diego, a young Aztec man. She was dressed as a simple pregnant Mexican woman. She left an imprint of herself on the tilma of Juan Diego. This Tilma is intact and is venerated today by pilgrims from all over the world.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the preeminent titles of Mary because of the significance of the event in Guadalupe, Mexico in 1531 and its continued relevance to the faith of Christians in the Americas because Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patroness of the the Americas not just Mexico. The Blessed Virgin Mary's apparition to St Juan Diego on December 12, 1531 set off a series of events, conversions, miracles and the building of a great Church which has since become a Basilica. It is estimated that annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Guadalupe is about 10 million.

In our key Scripture for today, the Archangel Gabriel gave Mary a testimony of God's marvelous miracle for Elizabeth in order to confirm Mary's faith. I love to hear stories of miracles. They build my faith. You too should cherish miracle stories. Better still, don't hide the wonderful things God is doing for you. Expect a miracle every day and share the story.

Mary said to Gabriel after she heard of Elizabeth big miracle, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1: 36 - 38).

If you like to learn more about the Blessed Virgin Mary through her Litany, click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2020/12/litany-of-blessed-virgin-mary.html?m=1

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