Today’s Reflection: Joseph, the unsung Hero? Oh No! The Roman Catholic Church is affectionately singing about him today!

By Charles Muchiri

Liturgical Year B, Cycle II

Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary

Readings for Mass (Monday March 19, 2012)

First Reading: Second Samuel 7: 4-5, 12-14, 16

Responsorial Psalms: Psalms 89: 2-3, 4-5, 27, 29

Second Reading: Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22

Gospel: Matthew 1: 16, 18-21, 24 or Luke 2: 41-51

There is one thing that is certainly unbeatable! Joseph the Father of Jesus was a great man!

He did what most men in the entire of the world’s history would have found as difficult.

In more than one way, he set himself a world apart from many men who were before him and who would come after him.

He accepted to take up the responsibility of being a foster father, even if he was only a young man who would have been more comfortable with a young ordinary lady who could bare him children and with whom they could have lived a normal life.

He accepted to be a father, a husband and the head of a home in which, a true God would be raised through childhood and into adulthood.

He made enough efforts, at the time of his child’s birth by trying to secure an inn in which his wife would comfortably give birth. And even when he is not able to secure one, he doesn't give up. He must have been the watchman who was offering security around the manger where Christ is finally born!

On the other hand, together with Mary, his spouse, they both adhered to the laws of their land: He saw Jesus through circumcision and he was in time, to present Jesus to the temple as is the law.

He went an extra mile to seek asylum to Egypt in order to protect the Child Jesus from being killed by Herod.

Obviously, there must have been other parents out there and during that dispensation of time who may not have gone that extra mile in protecting their children from the brutal Herod’s sword.

Today’s alternative Gospel - Luke 2: 41-51 – has the very last mention of Joseph in the Gospels, where together with Mary, they are in great anxiety as they try looking for their 12 years old Christ.

Being the carpenter that he was, Joseph must have always put in a lot of effort in his work, in order to bring bread to the table each and every day. To help bring up the child Jesus into a health boy and a dashing, energetic youth who would grab hold of the world, establish what would end up being the most unbeatable universal ministry of all times, and re-unite the human race with God the Father, at such a tender age of between 30 and 33!

Joseph must have been a great mentor to the boy Jesus, teaching and inculcating values, extending tender care and love to a God who had to be incarnated into man, through his family.

Joseph was simply a man out of this world; a big-hearted, outstanding gentleman whom the Roman Catholic Church celebrates as a Saint, the Patron of the Catholic Church, the Patron of the unborn children, the Patron of all fathers, the Patron of immigrants, the Patron of workers, the Patron against doubt and hesitation, the Patron of a happy death, the Patron of Vietnam and Philippines, amongst others.

And today – March 19 – being the Feast day of St Joseph the Husband of Mary, in unison, our mouths sing a song of praise; to a man, a saint who belongs to an exceptional class!

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