Mar. 19 - Feast of St. Joseph - Wk 3 - Day 2 - "seek to understand Jesus better"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As we continue our journey, towards Total Consecration, on Mar. 25, this morning’s Gospel, is beautiful good news to hear:

“…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.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home." (Mt 1:20 - 24)

The last words of this passage from Matthew’s Gospel were especially beautiful to me this morning! I do not think I ever before connected these words to the words in John’s Gospel:

Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.(Jn 19:27)

Let us continue to open our hearts to God’s Grace as both St. Joseph and St. John did – and before both of them Our Mother Mary’s words: “Be it done to me, according to your Word!” — and having been conceived and born of Mary, Jesus, her Son, Who is the Eternal Son of God, said on His Cross: “Father, into Thy Hands, I commend my Spirit.”

Let us continue our journey, by God’s Grace, seeking “to understand Jesus”. Let us pray with attention and devotion:

Litany of the Holy Spirit: see HERE

Ave Maris Stella: see HERE

Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus: see HERE

 

[OurLadyofSorrows]

Pope Francis has asked us to pray the Rosary at 9pm our time for St Joseph’s Day.

 

[hazcompat]

      12. Immediately after the narration of the Annunciation, the Evangelist Luke guides us in the footsteps of the Virgin of Nazareth towards "a city of Judah" (Lk. 1:39). According to scholars this city would be the modern Ain Karim, situated in the mountains, not far from Jerusalem. Mary arrived there "in haste," to visit Elizabeth her kinswoman. The reason for her visit is also to be found in the fact that at the Annunciation Gabriel had made special mention of Elizabeth, who in her old age had conceived a son by her husband Zechariah, through the power of God: "your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a Son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible" (Lk. 1:36-37). The divine messenger had spoken of what had been accomplished in Elizabeth in order to answer Mary's question. "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" (Lk. 1:34) It is to come to pass precisely through the "power of the Most High," just as it happened in the case of Elizabeth, and even more  so. Moved by charity, therefore, Mary goes to the house of her kinswoman. When Mary enters, Elizabeth replies to her greeting and feels the child leap in her womb, and being "filled with the Holy Spirit" she greets Mary with a loud cry: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" (cf. Lk. 1:40-42) Elizabeth's exclamation or acclamation was subsequently to become part of the Hail Mary, as a continuation of the angel's greeting, thus becoming one of the Church's most frequently used prayers. But still more significant are the words of Elizabeth in the question which follows: "And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Lk. 1:43) Elizabeth bears witness to Mary: she recognizes and proclaims that before her

stands the Mother of the Lord, the Mother of the Messiah. The son whom Elizabeth is carrying in her womb also shares in this witness: “The babe in my womb leaped for joy” (Lk. 1:44). This child is the future John the Baptist, who at the Jordan will point out Jesus as the Messiah. 8 While every word of Elizabeth’s greeting is filled with meaning, her final words would seem to have fundamental importance: “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Lk. 1:45).28 These words can be linked with the little “full of grace” of the angel’s greeting. Both of these texts reveal an essential Mariological content, namely the truth about Mary, who has become really present in the mystery of Christ precisely because she “has believed.” The fullness of grace announced by the angel means the gift of God himself. Mary’s faith, proclaimed by Elizabeth at the Visitation, indicates how the Virgin of Nazareth responded to this gift.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks, yes!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

Not sure if your computer skipped a few sentences in your quote from Pope St. JPII’s Encyclical. I’m taking the liberty of copying that section you began here:

2. Blessed is she who believed

1. Immediately after the narration of the Annunciation, the Evangelist Luke guides us in the footsteps of the Virgin of Nazareth towards “a city of Judah” (Lk. 1:39). According to scholars this city would be the modern Ain Karim, situated in the mountains, not far from Jerusalem. Mary arrived there “in haste,” to visit Elizabeth her kinswoman. The reason for her visit is also to be found in the fact that at the Annunciation Gabriel had made special mention of Elizabeth, who in her old age had conceived a son by her husband Zechariah, through the power of God: “your kins woman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a Son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible” (Lk. 1:36-37). The divine messenger had spoken of what had been accomplished in Elizabeth in order to answer Mary’s question. “How shall this be, since I have no husband?” (Lk. 1:34) It is to come to pass precisely through the “power of the Most High,” just as it happened in the case of Elizabeth, and even more so.

Moved by charity, therefore, Mary goes to the house of her kinswoman. When Mary enters, Elizabeth replies to her greeting and feels the child leap in her womb, and being “filled with the Holy Spirit” she greets Mary with a loud cry: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (cf. Lk. 1:40-42) Elizabeth’s exclamation or acclamation was subsequently to become part of the Hail Mary, as a continuation of the angel’s greeting, thus becoming one of the Church’s most frequently used prayers. But still more significant are the words of Elizabeth in the question which follows: “And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk. 1:43) Elizabeth bears witness to Mary: she recognizes and proclaims that before her stands the Mother of the Lord, the Mother of the Messiah. The son whom Elizabeth is carrying in her womb also shares in this witness: “The babe in my womb leaped for joy” (Lk. 1:44). This child is the future John the Baptist, who at the Jordan will point out Jesus as the Messiah.

While every word of Elizabeth’s greeting is filled with meaning, her final words would seem to have fundamental importance: “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Lk. 1:45). These words can be linked with the little “full of grace” of the angel’s greeting. Both of these texts reveal an essential Mariological content, namely the truth about Mary, who has become really present in the mystery of Christ precisely because she “has believed.” The fullness of grace announced by the angel means the gift of God himself. Mary’s faith, proclaimed by Elizabeth at the Visitation, indicates how the Virgin of Nazareth responded to this gift.

I put into bold the words that stood out for me, but there is so much for us to ponder in Mary if we are to understand Jesus better!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear KBS and patricius,

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Thank you for your “Faith-full” hearts. Hope this has been a very Happy and Holy Feast of St. Joseph, for you both. This is a sweet picture of St. Joseph and the young Jesus which I have kept for some years now and below is a prayer I pray each morning after praying the Memorare of Our Lady:

St. Joseph — Man of Unshakable Hope (Oratory of St. Joseph, Montreal, Canada)

“Powerful St. Joseph, in the course of your life you shone forth as a man of hope, in the midst of trials and difficulties, such as the distressing circumstances of Jesus’ birth, the flight into Egypt, and exile in a foreign land, your only strength sprang from your unshakable hope in the goodness, the power and the fidelity of God.

Trustingly, I look to you today. Because you are so close to God, you are in a position to join your prayers with mine. Beg your Son to sustain me in the trials that confront me at this time. Help me to overcome my sorrows by giving me the same strength that allowed you to carry on in the midst of difficulties. May the guiding light of hope lead me through my trials to the comforting presence of the Father. Amen.

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is such a gift from God to every family. Pondering their lives together draws us closer to understanding Jesus better!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear KBS,

Thanks again, so much for your heart! St. Joseph is sometimes called the “Forgotten man”, – but He is a great saint! Like Mary, his wife, he is hidden but he is there in God’s revelation through the Gospels of Matthew and Luke especially.

There is no “recorded word” of St. Joseph in the Gospels but his actions speak louder than words.