Daily Gospel for Wednesday,
19 March 2014
"Simon Peter
answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal
life." John 6:68
Wednesday of the Second
Week of Lent
Feast of the Church:
SAINT JOSEPH
Husband of the Blessed Virgin
Patron of the Universal Church
(Solemnity)
St. Joseph was by birth of the royal family of David, but was living in
humble obscurity as a carpenter when God raised him to the highest sanctity,
and fitted him to be the spouse of his Virgin Mother, and foster-father and
guardian of the Incarnate Word.
Joseph, says the Holy Scripture, was a just man; he was innocent and pure,
as became the husband of Mary; he was gentle and tender, as one worthy to be
named the father of Jesus; he was prudent and a lover of silence, as became the
master of the holy house; above all, he was faithful and obedient to divine
calls. His conversation was with angels rather than with men.
When he learned that Mary bore within her womb the Lord of heaven, he
feared to take her as his wife; but an angel bade him fear not, and all doubts
vanished. When Herod sought the life of the divine Infant, an angel told Joseph
in a dream to fly with the Child and His Mother into Egypt. Joseph at once
arose and obeyed. This sudden and unexpected flight must have exposed Joseph to
many inconveniences and sufferings in so long a journey with a little babe and
a tender virgin, the greater part of the way being through deserts and among
strangers; yet he alleges no excuses, nor inquires at what time they were to return.
St. Chrysostom observes that God treats thus all his servants, sending
them frequent trials to clear their hearts from the rust of self-love, but
intermixing seasons of consolation.
"Joseph," says he, "is anxious on seeing the Virgin with
child; an angel removes that fear. He rejoices at the Child's birth, but a
great fear succeeds: the furious king seeks to destroy the Child, and the whole
city is in an uproar to take away His life. This is followed by another joy,
the adoration of the Magi; a new sorrow then arises: he is ordered to fly into
a foreign unknown country, without help or acquaintance."
It is the opinion of the Fathers that upon their entering Egypt, at the
presence of the child Jesus, all the oracles of that superstitious country were
struck dumb, and the statues of their gods trembled and in many places fell to
the ground. The Fathers also attribute to this holy visit the spiritual
benediction poured on that country, which made it for many ages most fruitful
in Saints. After the death of King Herod, of which St. Joseph was informed in
another vision, God ordered him to return with the Child and his Mother into
the land of Israel, which our Saint readily obeyed. But when he arrived in
Judea, hearing that Archelaus had succeeded Herod in that part of the country,
and apprehensive that he might be infected with his father's vices, he feared
on that account to settle there, as he would otherwise probably have done for
the education of the Child; and therefore, being directed by God in another vision,
he retired into the dominions of Herod Antipas, in Galilee, to his former
habitation in Nazareth.
St. Joseph, being a strict observer of the Mosaic law, in conformity to
its direction annually repaired to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Our Saviour,
now in the twelfth year of his age, accompanied his parents thither. Having
performed the usual ceremonies of the feast, they were returning with many of
their neighbors and acquaintances towards Galilee; and never doubting but that
Jesus was with some of the company, they travelled on for a wholeday's journey
before they discovered that he was not with them. But when night came on and
they could hear no tidings of him among their kindred and acquaintance, they,
in the deepest affliction, returned with the utmost speed to Jerusalem. After
an anxious search of three days they found him in the Temple, discoursing with
the learned doctors of the law, and asking them such questions as raised the
admiration of all that heard him, and made them astonished at the ripeness of
his understanding; nor were his parents less surprises on this occasion. When
his Mother told him with what grief and earnestness they had sought him, and
asked, "Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold thy Father and I
sought thee in great affliction of mind," she received for answer,
"How is it that you sought me? did you not know that I must be about my
Father's business?" But though thus staying in the Temple unknown to his
parents, in all other things he was obedient to them, returning with them to
Nazareth, and there living in all dutiful subjection to them.
As no further mention is made of St. Joseph, he must have died before the
marriage of Cana and the beginning of our divine Saviour's ministry. We cannot
doubt that he had the happiness of Jesus and Mary attending at his death,
praying by him, assisting and comforting him in his last moments; whence he is
particularly invoked for the great grace of a happy death and the spiritual
presence of Jesus in that hour.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Saint(s) of the day:
Blessed Marcel Callo
(1921-1945)
Marcel Callo was born
on December 6, 1921, in Rennes, France, being one of nine children. He was a
happy child, who was known to be a leader and a perfectionist. After completing
his primary studies, he became an apprentice to a printer around age 13. He
belonged to the JOC (Young Christian Worker).
On March 8, 1943, the
war (World War II) had gripped their city of Rennes. That day his sister,
Madeleine was killed by one of the bombs that leveled her building. When the
Germans later occupied France, Marcel was ordered and deported to Zella-Mehlis,
Germany to the S.T.O. (Service of Obligatory Work). If he did not comply, his
family would be arrested, so he went.
Once there, he worked
in a factory that produced bombs. After three months or so of missing his
family and missing Mass (there was no Catholic church in that town), Marcel
became seriously depressed. He later found a room where Mass was offered on
Sunday. This helped change his disposition. He reported that, "Finally
Christ reacted. He made me to understand that the depression was not good. I
had to keep busy with my friends and then joy and relief would come back to
me."
With his morale and
hope restored, he cared for his deported friends. He organized a group of
Christian workers who did activities together like play sports or cards. He
also organized a theatrical group. He galvanized his friends despite him
suffering from painful boils, headaches and infected teeth. For his French
friends, he arranged a Mass to be celebrated in their native tongue.
Eventually, his religious activities attracted unwanted attention from the
German officials. The Germans arrested Marcel on April 19, 1944.
The Germans
interrogated Marcel. He admitted his Catholic activities and was imprisoned in
Gotha. He secretly received the Eucharist while in prison and continued to pray
and help his companions. He was considered dangerous to the Germans and was
moved to a different prison at Mathausen. He suffered from various ailments
such as bronchitis, malnutrition, dysentery, fever, swelling, and generalized
weakness. He never complained. Despite his suffering, he encouraged his
companions by saying, "It is in prayer that we find our strength."
He died on the feast
of St. Joseph, March 19, 1945. Pope John Paul II beatified Marcel Callo on
October 4, 1987.
Wednesday of the
Second Week of Lent
2 Samuel 7: 4 That same night, Yahweh’s word came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and
tell my servant David, ‘Yahweh says, “Should you build me a house for me to
dwell in?
12 When your days
are fulfilled, and you sleep with your fathers, I will set up your offspring[a]
after you, who will proceed out of your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his
kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he commits
iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the
children of men;
Footnotes:
a. 2 Samuel 7:12 or,
seed
16 Your house and
your kingdom will be made sure forever before you. Your throne will be
established forever.”’”
Psalm 89: 2 I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever.
You established the heavens.
Your faithfulness is in them.”
3 “I have made a
covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David, my servant,
4 ‘I will establish
your offspring[a] forever,
and build up your throne to all
generations.’”
Selah.
5 The heavens will
praise your wonders, Yahweh;
your faithfulness also in the assembly of
the holy ones.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 89:4 or,
seed
27 I will also
appoint him my firstborn,
the highest of the kings of the earth.
29 I will also make
his offspring[a] endure forever,
and his throne as the days of heaven.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 89:29 or,
seed
Romans 4: 13 For the promise to Abraham and to his offspring[a] that he
should be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, but through the
righteousness of faith.
Footnotes:
a. Romans 4:13 or,
seed
16 For this cause it
is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may
be sure to all the offspring,[a] not to that only which is of the law, but to
that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. 17 As
it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.”[b] This is in the
presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls
the things that are not, as though they were. 18 Besides hope, Abraham in hope
believed, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according
to that which had been spoken, “So will your offspring[c] be.”[d]
Footnotes:
a. Romans 4:16 or,
seed
b. Romans 4:17
Genesis 17:5
c. Romans 4:18 or,
seed
d. Romans 4:18 Genesis
15:5
22 Therefore it also
was “credited to him for righteousness.”[a]
Footnotes:
a. Romans 4:22
Genesis 15:6
Holy Gospel of Jesus
Christ according to Saint Matthew 1: 16 Jacob became the
father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus,[a] who is
called Christ.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 1:16
“Jesus” means “Salvation”.
18 Now the birth of
Jesus Christ was like this; for after his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph,
before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19
Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a
public example, intended to put her away secretly. 20 But when he thought about
these things, behold,[a] an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,
saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your
wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She shall
give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save
his people from their sins.”
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 1:20
“Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It
is often used as an interjection.
24 Joseph arose from
his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to
himself;
Wednesday of the
Second Week of Lent
Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop of Geneva and Doctor of the
Church
Conferences, no. 19 (modernized)
"When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded
him"
How faithful in humility was the great saint we are celebrating! That
can't be said in all its perfection for, in spite of what he was, in what
poverty and lowliness he lived all the days of his life! A poverty and
lowliness beneath which he kept hidden and concealed his great virtues and
dignity... Truly, I have no doubt at all that the angels, beside themselves
with admiration, did not come, rank upon rank, to behold and wonder at his humility
while he held that dearest child in the poor workshop where he worked at his
employment to feed the little boy and the mother entrusted to him.
There's no doubt at all that Saint Joseph was braver than David and wiser
that Solomon [who were his ancestors]. Nevertheless, seeing him reduced to the
exercise of carpentry who could have discerned it without being enlightened by
a heavenly light, so hidden did he keep the remarkable gifts with which God had
favored him? But what wisdom did he not have since God gave him his most
glorious Son to care for..., the universal Prince of heaven and earth?...
Nevertheless, you can see how low and humbled he was brought, more than can be
said or imagined...: he went to his own country and town of Bethlehem and no
one was turned away from all the inns but he... Notice how the angel turns him
about with both hands. He tells him he has to go to Egypt and he goes; he
orders him to return and he returns. God wants him to be always poor... and he
submits to it with love, and not just for a while for he was poor his whole
life long.
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment