& Saint Joseph the Worker
Biographical Information about St. Joseph[1]
Readings for Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 11:19-26
The story in Acts today is significant in the life of the Church primarily because, as a consequence of bringing a large number of gentiles to believe in Christ and because they had no historical connection to Judaism, they identified themselves, for the first time, as Christians – separate from the Judaism. This new vitality attracted not only Barnabas but Saul as well.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
The psalm proclaims the centrality of Jerusalem (Zion) as the source of holiness. Ironically it is positioned after the reading that will lead Christians to understand the New Zion, the Heavenly Jerusalem, a place where those who believe in Christ, the Son of God, are favored.
Gospel Jn 10:22-30
We come at last to the climax of Jesus debates with the Jewish leadership. He is in the temple precincts now. He came there at a time when many of those from all over the region would be there, the Feast of Hanukkah. They press him to state plainly whether or not he is the Messiah. His final response is a chain of logic that leads to his final statement: “The Father and I are one.”
Reflection:
When the angle first came to St. Joseph and told him to take Mary as his wife, even though she was pregnant, could he in his wildest dreams picture the scene unfolding in the temple precincts as described in St. John’s Gospel? Could he who fled to Egypt with Mary and the infant Lord have guessed that this son of his would grow up to inspire not just his own Jewish people to embrace the spirit of God but also the gentiles?
Not much is said about him in all of scripture. Perhaps his greatest claim to fame is that Jesus is referred to several times as “the carpenter’s son”. With that title we see the influence of the Lord’s foster father. God must have guided Joseph as he watched quietly as Jesus grew in stature. The true man, Jesus, learned at Joseph’s elbow as tradition holds.
There is something about St. Joseph that strikes a deep cord in us. He is the one who labors in anonymity to support his family. He is the one we assume kept his family safe and fed during those early years. (He also must have sold a house at some time based on the tradition that has grown up around burying his likeness upside down on property one wants to sell. While in my heart that seems silly, whatever brings faith to bear on life situations must have value.)
While we suppose Jesus, both God and man, was born with a perfect character, Joseph’s humility certainly fits with the Lord’s later teachings. He is a model for all Christian (thank you, gentiles of Antioch for giving us that name) fathers.
Today we thank God for the gift of himself, for Jesus and the God are of the same essence. We also give thanks to St. Joseph for his example of humble service and diligent work supporting the Holy Family.
Pax
[1]The image today is “St Joseph with the Infant Jesus” by Guido Reni, c 1635
[2] After Links Expire
Biographical Information about St. Joseph[1]
Readings for Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 11:19-26
The story in Acts today is significant in the life of the Church primarily because, as a consequence of bringing a large number of gentiles to believe in Christ and because they had no historical connection to Judaism, they identified themselves, for the first time, as Christians – separate from the Judaism. This new vitality attracted not only Barnabas but Saul as well.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
The psalm proclaims the centrality of Jerusalem (Zion) as the source of holiness. Ironically it is positioned after the reading that will lead Christians to understand the New Zion, the Heavenly Jerusalem, a place where those who believe in Christ, the Son of God, are favored.
Gospel Jn 10:22-30
We come at last to the climax of Jesus debates with the Jewish leadership. He is in the temple precincts now. He came there at a time when many of those from all over the region would be there, the Feast of Hanukkah. They press him to state plainly whether or not he is the Messiah. His final response is a chain of logic that leads to his final statement: “The Father and I are one.”
Reflection:
When the angle first came to St. Joseph and told him to take Mary as his wife, even though she was pregnant, could he in his wildest dreams picture the scene unfolding in the temple precincts as described in St. John’s Gospel? Could he who fled to Egypt with Mary and the infant Lord have guessed that this son of his would grow up to inspire not just his own Jewish people to embrace the spirit of God but also the gentiles?
Not much is said about him in all of scripture. Perhaps his greatest claim to fame is that Jesus is referred to several times as “the carpenter’s son”. With that title we see the influence of the Lord’s foster father. God must have guided Joseph as he watched quietly as Jesus grew in stature. The true man, Jesus, learned at Joseph’s elbow as tradition holds.
There is something about St. Joseph that strikes a deep cord in us. He is the one who labors in anonymity to support his family. He is the one we assume kept his family safe and fed during those early years. (He also must have sold a house at some time based on the tradition that has grown up around burying his likeness upside down on property one wants to sell. While in my heart that seems silly, whatever brings faith to bear on life situations must have value.)
While we suppose Jesus, both God and man, was born with a perfect character, Joseph’s humility certainly fits with the Lord’s later teachings. He is a model for all Christian (thank you, gentiles of Antioch for giving us that name) fathers.
Today we thank God for the gift of himself, for Jesus and the God are of the same essence. We also give thanks to St. Joseph for his example of humble service and diligent work supporting the Holy Family.
Pax
[1]The image today is “St Joseph with the Infant Jesus” by Guido Reni, c 1635
[2] After Links Expire
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