Posted by The WORD in other words (2016) by Fr Dante Barril SVD – Rome
4th Sunday of Advent
St. Joseph is many things. He’s been labeled as the quintessential “silent man” by virtue of the fact that he never speaks in the Bible; He is also said to have been a hard-working person, one who lets his hands do the talking rather than his mouth; also he’s been hailed as the “chaste” spouse of the most Holy Virgin Mary.
The Gospel today could add to the wealth of reflections that we already have about the kind of person that Joseph was.
As I read the Gospel account and picture Joseph in there I remember something written in some wall which says, “I am cool, I am calm and I have a plan”. I think St. Joseph could very well have written those about himself. COOL.
The angel appeared to him in a dream. I would like to believe that this means Joseph was sleeping. I remember one professor sharing a story in class where he said that one of the most outstanding traits of Alexander the Great was that even at the height of a “red alert” he could sleep, therefore he was always rested and fresh for action. When I have problems and tasks to do, I get so nervous that sleeping is impossible. Joseph had a big problem; that he could sleep speaks volume about him. CALM.
He was about to get married. He must have prepared for it already…then he found out that his lady love was pregnant and that he had absolutely nothing to do with it! I don’t think anybody would have blamed him if he reported Mary to the authorities or at least spit out something nasty against her. Instead in all calmness he tried to figure out a win-win situation for everybody! HE HAD A PLAN.
Because he was cool and calm he was able to come out with a plan. Many people when faced with extreme difficulties would say they blacked out, lost all reason, and just “swung and hoped they would hit something”.
Coolness, calmness and planning are marks of greatness. And one who surrenders them in favor of a “higher plan” is a fool, “a fool for Christ”, a saint. St. Joseph, Pray for us.
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