Will He look like me?

"What will He look like?" I'm sure this was a question that Joe must have asked himself over and over again during the final days of Mary's pregnancy with Jesus. The question, "Will He look like me?", probably caused Joe some anxiety too. "If He happens to look like me, will others think that He is my son? Will they not believe me when I say that Mary is still a virgin? How could I expect them to understand if I myself do not understand how all this is possible?"

Now, imagine... 

It is a little past midnight. Mary and Joe are in a cave with animals all around with all the smells and sounds this entails. The only light and heat they have is from a little twig fire that crackles just a few feet away. Mary has been experiencing contractions for the last several hours, and the time of delivery is here. Joe is the only other person she trusts and permits to assist her in delivering her Child, but he has never assisted in the delivery of a child - let alone this Child! With the temptation to fear that he will mess-up and cause the death of his wife and her Child pressing hard upon him, he cries out to the Father in a short but urgent prayer:

God, come to me quickly! 

You are my help and deliverer. 

Lord, do not delay!

-Psalm 70:6

Now Joe turns his full attention to his wife as he is in anguish in seeing his beloved wife suffer the pains of giving birth. The delivery happens, and before he knows it, he is holding this crying newborn king in his hands. Joe is the first to hold Him -he is the first to see His Face- and he is astonished to see that this little Boy looks just like him. He is stunned. He does not know what to say or think. He can only look upon this Child with love, and he begins to experience that weird mix of crying and laughing at the same time. 

He knows that this Child is not his by nature; instead, he knows that he has received this Child as a gift from God through Mary. Mary! He became so enraptured with this Child that he actually forgot about her! While all these thoughts and emotions are passing through Joe, Mary just laid there and looked with patient love upon her beloved husband and Son. Joe looks up at Mary, and with tear-filled eyes, he hands the Child to her. 

The Human Face of God is now seen! God is with us! Come, let us adore Him!

Christmas is Coming

Yesterday and today, we have heard the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew at Mass. Yesterday, the Gospel of Mass was the genealogy (Matt. 1:1-17), and today, the Gospel of Mass is the Annunciation of Joe (Matthew 1:18-25). These two readings begin the octave of preparation for Christmas each year. Why?

First, I think this is one way in which we recognize the real importance of Joe in the story of the Gospel. In God’s Province, he was the one through whom God would fulfill His promise to David to set on his throne a son who would rule forever (2 Sam. 7:12-13).

Second, this marks the beginning of the recreation of the world. Recall that the Book of Genesis begins with two stories of the “beginnings” (Genesis 1:1ff, and Genesis 2:4ff). The first is like a litany, and the second is like a narrative. Same with Matthew’s opening. As God chose to prepare the world for Adam in Genesis, so the Father chose to prepare Joe for Jesus in Matthew. As Adam was brought forth from the soil, so Jesus was brought forth from Joe. As Adam was to have dominion over the soil, so Jesus is to have dominion over Joe.

We are approaching Christmas, or rather, Christmas is approaching us. Like Joe, are we allowing ourselves to be prepared for Him who is to have dominion over us? In the midst of the busyness of preparing for the day, are we regularly resting like Joe in prayer and listening to the Voice of God speaking to us? Shhhh. Christmas is the celebration of the Incarnation of the Word (John 1:1-14). Do you hear what I hear? Do you hear the Word spoken to you - within you?

Christmas is coming! Come, let us adore Him!

Guadalupe Joe

Tomorrow, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and I am reminded of an image that a friend of mine shared with me when he was visiting Catholic Family Land in Bloomingdale, Ohio;

 

Obviously, it is based on the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. And why not?

Joe at the Manger

This past Sunday, Pope Francis sent an Apostolic Letter in which he spoke about “the meaning and importance of the Nativity Scene”. I found paragraph #7 worth sharing here in part:

Gradually, we come to the cave, where we find the figures of Mary and Joseph... At Mary’s side, shown protecting the Child and his Mother, stands Saint Joseph. He is usually depicted with staff in hand, or holding up a lamp. Saint Joseph plays an important role in the life of Jesus and Mary. He is the guardian who tirelessly protects his family. When God warned him of Herod’s threat, he did not hesitate to set out and flee to Egypt (cf. Mt 2:13-15). And once the danger had passed, he brought the family back to Nazareth, where he was to be the first teacher of Jesus as a boy and then as a young man. Joseph treasured in his heart the great mystery surrounding Jesus and Mary his spouse; as a just man, he entrusted himself always to God’s will, and put it into practice.

Leaving NCYC with Joe

This past weekend, I was blessed to accompany a group of high schoolers on a trip to the National Catholic Youth Congress (NCYC) in Indianapolis, Indiana. I learned when we arrived that there is a standing tradition at NCYC to trade hats and other memorabilia (as well as clipping clothespins on others without them noticing). The last day there, I happened to come across this hard hat, and I begged the high schooler to trade with me. She agreed, and I came home with Joe on my head! I have no idea how many times this hat was traded in order to get me, but I believe Joe was certainly working on making it happen.

It apparently originated from high schooler from St Joseph Parish in Cold Spring, Kentucky. Check out their website here, and if you find yourself in the area, you should stop on in and say a prayer for all young people. As Joe was the guardian of Jesus in His youth, so he is also of all young people.

Prince Joe

As we come to the end of this Liturgical Year and approach the final Sunday of Christ the King of the Universe, I thought it would be appropriate to share (perhaps again?, I don’t really recall) a line from scripture that has been applied to Joe from the early years of the Church: “He made him lord over his household, ruler over all his possessions...” (Psalm 105:21). What immediately follows also catches my attention: “... to instruct his princes as he desired, to teach his elders wisdom.” (Psalm 105:22). 

Joe taught Jesus, Who really was Joe’s elder, but Joe did not allow himself to be filled with pride. No, Joe acted in humility-simply doing what God the Father commanded when He commanded it. For this reason, Joe truly is the greatest prince of his Son’s Kingdom.

This coming Saturday, we remember the memory of Blessed Fr. Miguel Pro, a Mexican Jesuit priest who was martyred for serving the persecuted Catholics of Mexico in 1927. It’s hard for me to believe that it has almost been a whole year since I visited the Church of the Holy Family in Mexico City that keeps his relics. (I shared some pictures in La Parroquia de la Sagrada Familia...) I feel it is appropriate to share once again the painting in the apes of the sanctuary:

Limbo poem by Sr Mary Ada, OSJ

A couple months ago, I came across this poem written by Sr. Mary Ada, OSJ. I’ve been waiting for this month when we remember those who have died in our prayers to share it since this seemed the most appropriate time.

"Limbo"
By: Sr. Mary Ada, OSJ

The ancient greyness shifted
Suddenly and thinned
Like mist upon the moors
Before a wind.
An old, old prophet lifted
A shining face and said :
“He will be coming soon.
The Son of God is dead;
He died this afternoon.”

A murmurous excitement stirred
All souls.
They wondered if they dreamed ---
Save one old man who seemed
Not even to have heard.

And Moses standing,
Hushed them all to ask
If any had a welcome song prepared.
If not, would David take the task?
And if they cared
Could not the three young children sing
The Benedicite, the canticle of praise
They made when God kept them from perishing
In the fiery blaze?

A breath of spring surprised them,
Stilling Moses’ words.
No one could speak, remembering
The first fresh flowers,
The little singing birds.
Still others thought of fields new ploughed
Or apple trees
All blossom-boughed.
Or some, the way a dried bed fills
With water
Laughing down green hills.
The fisherfolk dreamed of the foam
On bright blue seas.
The one old man who had not stirred
Remembered home.

And there He was
Splendid as the morning sun and fair
As only God is fair.
And they, confused with joy,
Knelt to adore
Seeing that he wore
Five crimson stars
He never had before.

No canticle at all was sung.
None toned a psalm, or raised a greeting song.
A silent man alone
Of all that throng
Found tongue ----
Not any other.
Close to His heart
When the embrace was done,
Old Joseph said,
“How is Your Mother,
How is Your Mother, Son?”

Joe and All the Saints

Last Friday, we celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints. It never struck me before until this time, that  the final petition of the Intercessions of Vespers (the Evening Prayer of priests and religious of the Roman Rite) for this feast, included Joe right after Mary:

Bring all who have died into the company of heaven with Mary, Joseph and all Your saints, and give us also a place in the unending fellowship of Your kingdom.

As we continue in the month of November, when we particularly remember and pray for this who have died, I suggest that we pray this prayer each day. Before we know it, we’ll probably have it memorized.

Preparing for Christmas (yes, already)

When I learned about this brand new Advent reflection on Joe written by Fr. Mark Toups, I knew I had to share it with all of you.

I already bought mine and I encourage you to do the same. As Fr Mark said in a short introductory video, if we prepare for a day, then  nothing will change, but if we prepare for a Person, then we will change. Through this Advent reflection we will be able to prepare for Jesus as Joe did.

You can purchase the book (you can also purchase along with it a DVD of accompanying videos) at Ascension Press. Perhaps, you might buy it for someone you think needs to encounter Joe.

Jesus, Joe, and JP II

Yesterday, we celebrated the memory of Pope St. John Paul II. I cannot help but recall his encyclical about Joe, Redemptoris Custos. Here is a little paragraph from it (27), but I cannot recommend highly enough the whole encyclical if you have not already.

Why should the "fatherly" love of Joseph not have had an influence upon the "filial" love of Jesus? And vice versa why should the "filial" love of Jesus not have had an influence upon the "fatherly" love of Joseph, thus leading to a further deepening of their unique relationship? Those souls most sensitive to the impulses of divine love have rightly seen in Joseph a brilliant example of the interior life.