19/03/2021
St. Joseph, Husband of Mary, pray for us!
March 19
***
The Bible pays Joseph the highest compliment: he was a βjustβ man. The quality meant a lot more than faithfulness in paying debts.
When the Bible speaks of God βjustifyingβ someone, it means that God, the all-holy or βrighteousβ one, so transforms a person that the individual shares somehow in Godβs own holiness, and hence it is really βrightβ for God to love him or her. In other words, God is not playing games, acting as if we were lovable when we are not.
By saying Joseph was βjust,β the Bible means that he was one who was completely open to all that God wanted to do for him. He became holy by opening himself totally to God.
The rest we can easily surmise. Think of the kind of love with which he wooed and won Mary, and the depth of the love they shared during their marriage.
It is no contradiction of Josephβs manly holiness that he decided to divorce Mary when she was found to be with child. The important words of the Bible are that he planned to do this βquietlyβ because he was βa righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shameβ (Matthew 1:19).
The just man was simply, joyfully, wholeheartedly obedient to Godβin marrying Mary, in naming Jesus, in shepherding the precious pair to Egypt, in bringing them to Nazareth, in the undetermined number of years of quiet faith and courage.
***
Know more about St. Joseph by visiting the following links:
How Holy Fathers Have Honored Christ's Earthly Father, St. Joseph, Throughout History
https://www.dominusest.ph/post/popes-honor-st-joseph
St. Joseph: Husband of Mary
https://www.dominusest.ph/post/15-things-about-st-joseph