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What do we Learn from the Story of Joseph and Mary?

December 15, 2019
in Feature Articles, The Word
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During the past few weeks we were reading from the gospel according to St. Luke. Now we are in the preparatory season to receive the precious gift, from God, His son Jesus Christ who was to be born in our heart.

We read about the annunciation to Zechariah, then Mary, and then the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. And last Sunday, Abouna Andrew spoke of the birth of John the Baptist and used him as an example for how we can be like John the Baptist.

And today, we are going to talk about St. Joseph.

When we read in the gospel of Matthew 1:18-25, we can see that Joseph and Mary had just got engaged, and they were looking forward to starting a new family soon. But even before they were officially married, a big crisis blew up between them. Joseph was told Mary was with a child. Can you understand the emotional tsunami? He must have felt betrayed, broken and even angry.

Joseph, in front of this very big problem was very confused.

But Joseph, a just man, was thinking deeply of these things, praying to the Lord for help and advice. Suddenly the Angel of the Lord appears to him in a dream, saying “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will be bear a son  you will name Jesus and he will save his people from their sins.”

Here, Joseph’s heart found peace and rest.

What is important to notice here is that St. Joseph did not react immediately. But he prayed to God who always has another solution.

And guess what? The solution of God is always better than ours.

My advice to myself and to you today is to take St. Joseph as a good example, and do not react immediately and go to your room and pray to God. And certainly, the good Lord will have another and better solution to all our problems.

These days, because we are talking about Joseph and Mary, every family of ours is attacked with many problems and crises. Every one of us has problems and difficulties in his or her life. So, how are we going to solve our problems, and how we are going to solve our difficulties?

Believe me dear friends, the solution should be through the Holy Bible. And always through prayer and acting as a mature person. Without that, our problems will not be solved. Take St. Joseph as an example. He solved his problem with Mary through prayer and by being mature.

As families — and as parishes, too, because we are big families — we have problems. But do not allow a wall to built inside your house or inside your parish. Share your real feelings and emotions with each other. Share your burdens and problems, share you needs, and do everything in love.

Let our dreams be dedicated to His glory and may our visions be full of His holy and ever presence all the days of our lives. Amen.

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