SAINT JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (SOLEMNITY)

Joseph . . . was a righteous man. 

Did you know that only two Gospels provide accounts of Jesus’ miraculous conception and birth? Luke tells the story from Mary’s point of view—the annunciation, the visitation, and Mary’s prayerful heart. Matthew, on the other hand, focuses on Joseph’s role. Matthew highlights how important Joseph is, not only for supporting Mary and raising Jesus, but also for his connection to Abraham, David, and all of David’s heirs (1:1-16). In fact, by calling Joseph to be the foster father of Jesus, God fulfilled a prophecy that we hear in today’s first reading. Jesus is the heir through whom God will “make his kingdom firm” (2 Samuel 7:12).

It may seem that Joseph’s connection to his ancestors is minor in the grand scheme of things. But what it shows is that God keeps his promises. God had promised Abraham that he would be the “father of many nations” (Romans 4:17), and he remained committed to the promise throughout Israel’s long and turbulent history.

Still, God’s promises aren’t automatic guarantees. Because he gave us the great gift of free will, we need to cooperate with him to make sure those promises come to pass. And that’s where faith comes in—the faith of people like Abraham, David, and St. Joseph. These men didn’t always understand what God was asking of them, and they didn’t see his promises completely fulfilled in their lifetimes. But that didn’t keep them from trusting him and seeking to obey him. In Joseph’s case, that involved not just marrying Mary, but fleeing with his family to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath, and then moving back to Nazareth when an angel told him to.

On this day when we honor St. Joseph, let’s thank him for being such a wonderful model of trust in God’s promises. Let’s also imitate his deep faith in God and willingness to take decisive action when the Lord calls us.

“Oh, St. Joseph, watchful Guardian of the Holy Family, pray for me and for all the Church! May we all follow your example of faith and trust in the Lord!”

2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16
Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29
Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22
Matthew 1:16, 15-21, 24