March 19/Fourth Thursday of Lent
Solemnity of St. Joseph
The steadfast love of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. ~ Ps 89.2
Joseph of Nazareth, whom we commemorate today, did not achieve anything extraordinary by the world’s standards – he did not amass great power or wealth, accomplish feats of daring, or become a celebrity. All he did was to show up, to be faithful, and to serve where God asked him to serve, no matter how much God’s plan may have deviated from Joseph’s plan. And the deviation was life-changing indeed: through an angelic messenger who appeared to this righteous Jewish man in a dream, God asked Joseph to proceed with marriage to Mary, already pregnant with the Son of God. And so Joseph did, proclaiming the faithfulness of God from one generation to the next, foregrounding Jesus as the son of David. Millennia later, as we strive to achieve great things, to stay “relevant,” to impress others, we sometimes undervalue the importance of simply being faithful to the call of God, day in and day out – of pursuing what the American author and theologian Eugene Peterson called “a long obedience in the same direction.” There is no adrenaline rush, no crescendo of applause, no spotlight on those who quietly love where they live, who strive to be present to those who need them, who keep faith, hope, and charity alive for the next generation, one day at a time. The manner in which we express and experience our faith in God may change and evolve over the generations, but underlying it, for us as for Joseph, is God’s steadfast love that supports and accompanies us along the journey. To ground ourselves in that love and live it out every day of our lives, in ways large and small, is what it means to proclaim our faithfulness to the LORD, through all ages.
Ever-faithful Lord, Grant me the courage to trust in your steadfast love above all else, even when I cannot see beyond the day’s horizon. Amen.
For today’s readings, click here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031926.cfm
To hear Ensemble Irini sing “Misericordias, Domini,” by Giovanni Gabrieli, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYXjYr3V7CQ&list=RDcYXjYr3V7CQ&start_radio=1
