They are happy who dwell in your house, O Lord,
for ever singing your praise. PS 83:5
2 SAMUEL 7:4-5,12-14,16
My Soul's Beloved,
The whole of salvation history is a glorious magnum opus from the beginning when God spoke His Eternal Word and by the breath of the Holy Spirit, all that is came into being. Every note the Creator introduced in this beautiful tapestry celebrates the infinite goodness, wonderous power, wisdom, perfection, and majesty of a beneficient God. Every sour, discordant note is struck by men. Yet, O Lord, our God You are ever faithful and keep all Your promises. As King David lay dying the prophet Nathan, speaking the words of God, assured him that one of his would be seated on his royal throne and His Kingdom would be an everlasting Kingdom.
The world had to wait a very long time anticipating the fulfillment of this prophecy. Kingdoms came and fell, the people of God were crushed, killed, and taken as slaves into exile yet they never lost hope of a Savior, the Messiah that was promised who would liberate the whole world from the tyranny of slavery to sin.
Long did the world wait while empires rose and fell until the birth of Joseph of the House of David, chosen by God, to be Your dad, Your protector, Your provider, and You would be known as the Son of David for You were also the son of Joseph. His obedience made possible the fulfillment of God's Covenant of love with man.
The word of the Lord came to Nathan:
‘Go and tell my servant David, Thus the Lord speaks: “When your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. (It is he who shall build a house for my name, and I will make his royal throne secure for ever.) I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”’
PSALM 88(89):2-5,27,29
His dynasty shall last for ever.
MATTHEW 1:16,18-21,24
Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.
This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do.
The word of the Lord came to Nathan:
‘Go and tell my servant David, Thus the Lord speaks: “When your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. (It is he who shall build a house for my name, and I will make his royal throne secure for ever.) I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”’
PSALM 88(89):2-5,27,29
His dynasty shall last for ever.
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord;
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.
Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever,
that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.
Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever,
that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.
‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
I will establish your dynasty for ever
and set up your throne through all ages.
I have sworn to David my servant:
I will establish your dynasty for ever
and set up your throne through all ages.
‘He will say to me: “You are my father,
my God, the rock who saves me.”
I will keep my love for him always;
with him my covenant shall last.’
my God, the rock who saves me.”
I will keep my love for him always;
with him my covenant shall last.’
His dynasty shall last for ever.
ROMANS 4:13,16-18,22
My Soul's Beloved,
Just as King David was a foreshadowing of the King of Kings so too is Abraham, the father of the nations a foreshadowing of St. Joseph the most just, the most righteous, the most obedient who is fully deserving of the title of our father in faith because he believed without once doubting the power of God and the will of God. He embraced God's will more perfectly than any human person (apart from Mary) forgetting himself completely in service to You and Your Virgin Mother, Mary, his most chaste spouse.
He lived and died for You and Your Mother. His whole being - heart, mind, soul, body, and spirit were consumed with being attentive and present to You and Mary. He knew himself to be the most blessed of all God's children to be given the sacred duty of being husband, father, provider, protector, and defender of God's most treasured Son and daughter.
Thank You, Holy Spirit for Your grace that enables the Church to truly understand who St. Joseph truly was and the great and mighty works he accomplished just by being present and open to the will of God.
The promise of inheriting the world was not made to Abraham and his descendants on account of any law but on account of the righteousness which consists in faith. That is why what fulfils the promise depends on faith, so that it may be a free gift and be available to all of Abraham’s descendants, not only those who belong to the Law but also those who belong to the faith of Abraham who is the father of all of us. As scripture says: I have made you the ancestor of many nations – Abraham is our father in the eyes of God, in whom he put his faith, and who brings the dead to life and calls into being what does not exist.
Though it seemed Abraham’s hope could not be fulfilled, he hoped and he believed, and through doing so he did become the father of many nations exactly as he had been promised: Your descendants will be as many as the stars. This is the faith that was ‘considered as justifying him.’
MATTHEW 1:16,18-21,24
My Soul's Beloved,
Joseph like Mary knew Sacred Scripture like it was imprinted on their hearts. They knew all about the prophecy of Isaiah and other prophets. They were aware that a young girl would bear a child and that child would be named Emmanuel. They, like all of Israel, waited in constant hope for the coming of the Messiah especially since they were living under the tyrannical yoke of Rome.
It was no surprise to either Mary or Joseph that the prophecy was being fulfilled. Yes, Mary was awestruck by the Annunciation having understood that it was she whom God chose and invited to be the Mother of God. There never was a child of God more humble and docile to His will than Mary, she was matchless in every virtue and Joseph next.
God chose Joseph from all the young men in Israel. God's favor rested on him. And God endowed him with all the graces necessary so he would be equal to the task and he was. Thank You, St. Joseph, for Your loving guardianship and protection of Jesus and Mary. Thank You for Your docility and promptness and for carrying out God's commands. Thank You for keeping the child Jesus and His Mother safe from the wiles of the Enemy. We, the pilgrim Church on earth thank You for Your protection over us and we are confident that You will bring us too safely by Your powerful intercession to our eternal destination.
Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.
This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do.
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