Fr. Phil’s Doers of the Word
Feast of St. Joseph. Mt. 1:20 Living in a dream world!
Joseph did not understand what was happening in his life, especially with the marriage laws of his time. He comes and goes quickly in the gospel stories. Gone but not forgotten. He seems to be in the shadows. He struggled with doubts, looking for answers. Like us!
We can identify with Joseph is this year of 2020 – year of the invisible enemy, year of the virus! Joseph was perplexed, so are we. What’s going on? A question we ask each other and we ask God! Joseph did something. He followed a dream. It took a dream to clarify things. He fled to Egypt to protect his family. Is that like fleeing to our homes to protect us from the invisible enemy? Then he had to leave his wife a widow and his son fatherless.
Perhaps a Gallic prayer can help us as we continue to pray and hope:
“As the rain hides the stars / as the autumn mist hides the hills / as the clouds veil the blue of the sky /
So, the dark happenings of my life hide / the shining of Thy face from me. Yet if I may hold Thy hand in the darkness, it is enough. Even though I may stumble in my going, Thou dost not fall / Thou dost not fall.”
St. Joseph might be telling us today, “Do what you can do to be caring, compassionate, and helpful. Stay loyal and faithful to your beliefs and convictions. Do your duty. YOU make this world a better place.”
There is much sorrow. Invitations to the Banquet of the Lord have ceased. Perhaps we might make of a Sunday meal a “Eucharistic Moment”. Be creative. Grapes, bread and candles. Prayers!
God will have the last Word. We wait for that Word with holy patience. And we know it will be a healing Word.