I know the feast of St. Joseph is coming soon. Is there any connection to Lent?
On March 19, we celebrate the feast of St. Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. This solemnity during the Lenten season provides us with another model for living out the Lenten discipline of turning our hearts and minds to God.
For the feast of St. Joseph one of the two possible Gospel readings is from Matthew. Joseph discovers that Mary, his betrothed, is pregnant. Feeling totally devastated and betrayed, we can only imagine how Joseph’s plans for a future together as husband and wife are completely shattered. Joseph is faced with a reality that forces him to reorient his whole life.
Having no desire to publicly disgrace Mary, Joseph decides to divorce her quietly. It must have been a terrible thing for him even to contemplate, much less follow through on. As he is about to divorce her, an angel appears in a dream telling Joseph not to be afraid to take Mary into his home. She is with child from the Holy Spirit, a child who will eventually save his people from their sins. Joseph responds by taking Mary into his home.
Joseph is asked to believe and trust in the Lord, and to reorient his life accordingly. Such is the Lenten discipline that we are asked to cultivate in our own lives.
How can Joseph be your model as you struggle to trust God’s intentions for your life and to reorient your life accordingly?
©2009 Liturgical Publications Inc, New Berlin, WI 53151
Used with permission
