Do you ever feel as if you are unimportant, floating in the background and not really being acknowledged for anything? Maybe you are not a big speaker, and so when it comes to conversations with friends, you are the shy one and don't talk about yourself. Maybe your life feels dull, day in and day out going to work, to school, coming home and repeat again. You feel as if an ordinary life is boring, and that you could do so much more in life. That is the line right there, which is a lie. Life is not boring, it is a gift.
God calls each of us to have a great impact in society, if even for just a small time, in a simple situation. i know for me, if I can use my sarcastic humour to help someone feel better about themselves instead of ashamed, then I have one my duty in the day. Today, being the Solemnity of St.Joseph, let us consider the person of Joseph. We know very little about him, except from the beginning of Matthew and Luke. He is from the line of David, yet a simple carpenter. Jospeh lived a very simple life, and died (most likely) before Jesus began his ministry. However, though his life was simple, God called him to do something very great. He called Joesph to become Jesus' father, or foster father on earth. Joseph was challenged at first, not knowing the true story of Mary's pregnancy, but through God's working power, he made the good, self-giving choice to stick by Mary's side, and adopt Jesus as his son. Though he had a simple life of carpentry, God used Joseph to do incredible things, as he has planned for each of us.
In today's Gospel we read:"and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife" Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24).God called Joseph and though frightened at first, he answered this call through a great act of faith. Let us all be like St.Joseph and listen for God's call in our lives, and respond to it. God calls each of us for greatness if only we have faith.
Today's prayer comes from 'Catholic Culture' a prayer to St.Joseph:
Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who devote their lives to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in order thereby to atone for my many sins; to work conscientiously, setting devotion to duty in preference to my own whims; to work with thankfulness and joy, deeming it an honor to employ and to develop by my labor the gifts I have received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties; to work above all with a pure intention and with detachment from self, having always before my eyes the hour of death and the accounting which I must then render of time ill spent, of talents wasted, of good omitted, and of vain complacency in success, which is so fatal to the work of God.
All for Jesus, all through Mary, all in imitation of you, O Patriarch Joseph! This shall be my motto in life and in death, Amen.
