March 19, 2024
Solemnity for Saint Joseph, Mary Husband
Di Readings for Today
When Joseph wake up, e do as the Lord angel don command am, and e take im wife come im house. Matthew 1:24
Wetin make Saint Joseph great like this? Dem no conceive am without original sin as dem conceive our Blessed Mother. E no be God like Jesus. But na im be the head of the Holy Family, the person wey dey guard them and provide for them. E become the legal father of the Saviour of the World and the husband of the Mother of God. But no be only because dem give Joseph these wonderful privileges make am great. First of all, na the choices wey e make for life make am great. The Gospel for today call am “righteous man” and man wey “do as the Lord angel command am.” So, the main thing wey make am great na the righteous life wey e live and how e obey God will.
We see Joseph obedience especially for how e obey God voice wey reach am through the four dreams wey Scripture record. For im first dream, dem tell Joseph, “No fear to take Mary your wife come your house. Na through the Holy Spirit this pikin take dey her womb. She go born one son, and you go name am Jesus, because e go save im people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20–21). For im second dream, dem tell Joseph, “Get up, take the pikin and im mama, run go Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod go look for the pikin to kill am” (Matthew 2:13). For im third dream, dem tell Joseph, “Get up, take the pikin and im mama and go the land of Israel, because the people wey dey try kill the pikin don die” (Matthew 2:20). And for im fourth dream, dem warn Joseph make e go Galilee instead of Judea (Matthew 2:22).
When we read these dreams one after another, e clear say Saint Joseph dey pay attention to God voice. All of us dey dream, but Joseph dreams different. Na clear messages from God, and dem need person wey ready to receive them. Joseph open im heart to God voice, and as person wey ready to receive am, e listen with faith.
Joseph too respond by submitting himself completely and making up im mind fully. Di commands wey Joseph receive no be small matter. To obey, e need to travel far with im family, settle for lands wey dem no know, and do all dis with faith.
E still clear say Joseph take im vocation seriously. Pope Saint John Paul II give am the title “Guardian of the Redeemer.” Again and again, e show say e no dey shake for im commitment to guard Jesus, wey be im Son for law, and Mary, im wife. E spend im life to provide for them, protect them and love them with papa heart.
Today, reflect on the special vocation of Saint Joseph. Think deeply, especially, about the early years of im marriage and how e raise Jesus. Consider how e commit imself as papa to care for im Son, provide for am and protect am. All of us must try to follow Saint Joseph virtues by protecting Christ presence inside our own hearts, inside the hearts of our family and friends, and for the whole world. Pray to Saint Joseph, ask am to help you follow im example so that the hidden presence of our Lord for our lives go grow and reach full maturity.
I greet you, you wey de Guard di Redeemer, Husband of di Blessed Virgin Mary. Na your hand God put im only Son; na you Mary put her trust in; na with you Christ become man. Blessed Joseph, show yourself as papa to us too, and guide us for di road of life. Obtain grace, mercy and courage for us, and protect us from every evil. Amen. (Prayer from Patris Corde)
Day Thirty Meditations:
40 Days for Desert & 40 Days for di Cross
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Scripture Meditation Dem for Lent
To Read More – Saint Joseph, Husband of di Blessed Virgin Mary—Solemnity
Di main picture wey dey above: St. Joseph Dream, wey Luca Giordano do, through Wikimedia Commons
