March 19 -Solemnity of Saint Joseph, March 25-Annunciation

Joseph was born in Bethlehem, the City of David and moved to Nazareth with Mary. He also died in Nazareth in the presence of Mary and Jesus.

Joseph was an obedient, loving working man, a carpenter. He was a husband, spouse of Mary and father of Jesus. He descended from royal lineage of David.

During his life an angel appeared to him and asked him to take Mary as his wife. He had to discern and obey God’s call, and leave his work. He was obedient and so he took Mary home to Nazareth. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, through the work of the holy spirit. The Roman census brought Mary and Joseph back to Bethlehem.

Mary’s ‘yes’ and Joseph’s ‘fiat’ were part of God’s plan. Joseph had an inner strength and counted on God to help him.

We also have some ‘Joseph moments ‘in our lives, God calls us to make fast decisions and make uncomfortable changes in our lives as to reach out to others in need.

Let us take Joseph as our model for those situations that could happen in our own lives too. Let us ask for inner strength to help us in our times of uncertainty, for our struggles, trials and concerns of life. Pray, and persevere, that is the path of Joseph.

An angel of the Lord appeared to Mary with an impossible question, that she would be the mother of Jesus. She pondered the message of the angel Gabriel in her heart and said, ‘how could this be,’ she knew that the words came from God. She agreed and surrendered herself with a humble answer:

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

‘A virgin will conceive and bear a son named Immanuel, meaning “God with us”. S. Matt.1;23

Mary was a woman of faith, of silence and listened very well to God’s call.

We sometimes call her Virgin Mary, but she is the mother of Jesus, she has the same ties with Jesus, like us with our own mother.

Us too, sometimes we want to control our lives, during this lent let us leave the Holy Spirit guide us and ask Mary to help us open our hearts to the will of God and follow her footsteps during our difficult times.