Thursday of the Fourth Week

Feast of Saint Joseph

Reflection

When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you…and I will make his kingdom firm. (2 Samuel 7: 12) In Europe there are royal families in several nations such as the UK, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Monaco, and more. These “kingdoms” are given the name of a “house,” such as the House of Windsor (UK), House of Bourbon (Spain), or House of Grimaldi (Monaco), as examples.

 

Today’s first reading recounts how God speaks to Nathan, who as King David’s advisor, needs to make David aware that God will be building a “house,” a kingdom, based on an heir of David. Lost in the discontinuous verses of today’s Samuel reading is a detail regarding God refusing David’s offer to build a temple in Jerusalem. Nathan has the undesirable task of telling the king this is not what God wants. The “house” and “kingdom” will not be of David’s making but of God’s doing through an heir, a human-divine descendant of David. I (God) will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. (2 Samuel 7:14)

 

The first line of our Gospel reading reads: Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Jacob is another name for Israel, which in the Bible often refers to the nation descended from him. Jacob is of David’s stock, and though one might be a skeptic of David because of past conduct, in Joseph, “righteous man” and, “the husband of Mary,” God raises up an heir after David; of him will arise a royal house/kingdom of a whole new order.

 

When I was asked to prepare the reflection for the Feast of St. Joseph, I thought back to Pope Francis’ decision to insert Joseph in the Eucharistic prayers of the Mass. A google search resulted in a statement that: “This move highlights Joseph as a model of quiet strength, humility, and protection, encouraging Catholics to seek his intercession in times of crisis.” I dare add that Joseph is one more example or place holder of our spiritual parentage in God’s Love…that divine grace is our heritage in Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Gracious God, send us your Holy Spirit of faithfulness, so that the offering of our heart, mind, and person may be “a bowing down in your presence” to your commandment to love you above all else and our neighbor as ourselves. We make this prayer in the name of Jesus, your Son, our risen Lord. Amen.

Marcel Rainville, S.S.E. ’67 
Edmundite Campus Ministry

Scripture

First Reading: 2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16
Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29
Second Reading: Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22
Gospel: Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a or Luke 2:41-51a

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website