Feast Day Sermon - Wednesday 19 March 2025 – Solemnity of the Feast of St. Joseph, the Husband of Mary

 

Wednesday 19 March 2025 – Solemnity of the Feast of St. Joseph, the Husband of Mary

Mass Readings: 2 Sam 7: 4-5. 12-14. 16   Ps 89   Rom 4:13.16-18. 22   Mt 1:16. 18-21. 24

Key Verse to Meditate: When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife (Mt 1:24).

 My Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

Today, the Church celebrates the solemnity of St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus. This feast is a welcome break from the observance of Lent. St. Joseph is a universal saint, deeply loved by everyone in the Church. We can say that he was the greatest of all saints and, at the same time, the most unfortunate. Yet, without him—without his presence alongside the Holy Family in Nazareth—we would not have been able to experience salvation.

St. Joseph comes across to us as a man of obedience to the will of God. Unlike Mary, he is mentioned only briefly in the New Testament, occupying just a few passages. However, those few verses summarize everything about St. Joseph: "Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly" (Mt 1:19).

St. Matthew calls him a "righteous man." Some say that he was not just a man but a just man. The title "righteous man" perfectly fits St. Joseph, reflecting the kind of person he was—silent, yet deeply attentive to the will of God in his life.

Pope Francis popularized the image of the Sleeping St. Joseph, a statue that became well known because it reminds us of the importance of being attentive to the Lord, who speaks to us in silence, in our hearts, and in our dreams. Pope Francis, in one of his messages for today's feast, presents vocation in the light of the life and witness of St. Joseph. He highlights three key words that define Saint Joseph and every vocation: dream, service, and fidelity.

First Reading

The first two readings of today’s liturgy point to the same promise given to St. Joseph in his vision. A righteous man is one who believes in the promises of God. Even when those promises do not seem immediately evident, one must continue to hope in them.

In the first reading, God, through the prophet Nathan, promises that David will not be the one to build a house for the Lord; instead, his own son, Solomon, will build God’s temple in Jerusalem. However, God not only reveals this plan but also promises that He will establish the throne of David’s kingdom forever:  "When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever" (2 Sam 7:12-13).

God also foretells that the kingdom of Jesus will never end: "Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever" (2 Sam 7:16).

Ultimately, Jesus’ own body becomes the true temple where God dwells.

 Second Reading

St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, speaks of the depth of Abraham’s faith in God. God promised Abraham that he would become the father of many nations. But how would this promise be fulfilled? Not through the works of the Law, but through his unwavering faith: "For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith" (Rom 4:13).

Abraham believed in God’s promise: "Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become 'the father of many nations,' according to what was said, 'So numerous shall your descendants be'" (Rom 4:18). This faith was counted as righteousness (Rom 4:22; Rom 4:9; Gal 3:6; Jas 2:23; Tit 3:8; Gen 15:6).

Gospel Reading

In the Gospel, Joseph is clearly addressed as the "son of David," which indicates that the author wants to show readers how the promise made to Abraham and David is being fulfilled through Joseph at the announcement of the birth of the Savior, whose reign will never end.

As a human being, Joseph must have struggled greatly to accept the fact that Mary was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:18, 20). Perhaps he was certain that God's hand was at work in this conception. However, convincing the crowd and the religious authorities that nothing improper had occurred would have been futile. Therefore, he decided to divorce her quietly: "Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly" (Mt 1:19).

The Second Annunciation to Joseph 

When God calls someone for His work, He never leaves them in doubt. He comes to assist and guide them. The angel of the Lord strengthened Joseph, instructing him to take Mary as his wife, even though she was found to be with child before their marriage. God spoke to him in a dream: "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (Mt 1:20-21). This was, in a way, a second annunciation—this time to Joseph.

Saying Yes to the Will of God

Joseph was told that his wife, Mary, was under God's divine action and that the child to be born was no ordinary child but the Savior who would save people from their sins. Yes, he had dreams for his future and thought about the possible consequences of his decision. At the same time, he reflected on what the angel had told him. Finally, he chose to accept God's plan for his life: "When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife" (Mt 1:24).

Though he had doubts, his faith in God overpowered them, bringing him consolation. He agreed to be part of a mysterious divine plan, even though he did not fully understand it. The identity of the Son of God, who was to be born, must have led Joseph to say "yes" to God's will. The mystery of God's promise was now set to be fulfilled. Joseph was given the privilege of naming the Son of God "Jesus."

The Beauty of Joseph

The beauty of Joseph’s character lies in his obedience to God’s command: "When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife" (Mt 1:24).

Without God's grace, one cannot say "yes" to His plan. Joseph was not only a courageous man but also a man filled with faith and strength. When the light of faith shines within us, the darkness of doubt and pain is dispelled. Once he accepted the will of God, He never spoke after that in a grumbling manner.  May we imitate St. Joseph, whose name—like the Old Testament Joseph in Pharaoh’s court-signifies provision, chastity, innocence, and grace. Once he accepted God's will, he never complained.

Taking Your Doubts to the Lord in Prayer

Joseph had doubts, but he trusted in the Lord. When God calls someone for His work, He also provides the means to accomplish it. Do we believe this?

God puts righteous people to the test but ultimately raises them up. Like Joseph, we should not be quick to judge, but instead, take our doubts and concerns to God in prayer. When we trust in God's plan for our lives, we will certainly receive guidance, consolation, and reward.

Indeed, St. Joseph is a worthy guardian and foster father of the child Jesus, as St. John Chrysostom (347-407 AD) observed.

St. Joseph Did everything in silence and Prayer

Joseph carried out his role in silence and prayer. He endured many hardships because of his "yes" to God’s will. He had to protect Mary and the child Jesus from Herod’s murderous intentions, flee to Egypt, and later bring them safely back to Nazareth.

Joseph accepted his responsibility before God with grace and carried it out with great love for Mary and Jesus. He served God in silence and followed His mysterious plan with unwavering faith, becoming a worthy successor to the great patriarchs of the Old Covenant-Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The power to transform lives begins with faith—trusting in God and acting on that faith. St. Joseph is the best example of this. He was rightly chosen as the guardian of the Word made flesh.

St. Joseph, The Dreamer: Fidelity in Silence

St. Joseph, the guardian of the Word, was chosen by God because of his fidelity in silence. He kept God's will as his priority.

Like the Old Testament Joseph, he was a dreamer. In Genesis 37:19, Joseph’s brothers plotted against him, saying, “Look, the dreamer is coming.” Similarly, St. Joseph was a dreamer—God spoke to him in dreams about His divine plan for salvation.

St. Joseph teaches us never to lose the ability to dream, especially about God's plans for our lives. He said "yes" to God after his dream, believed what God said, and obeyed Him. His vocation was to give Jesus everything a human father could provide: love, protection, a name, and a home.

Points for Personal Reflection

We do not always achieve what we desire. Life does not always give us the recognition we seek. When we encounter unexpected situations, we can choose to rebel, blame God, and become bitter.

This was likely Joseph’s experience on the longest night of his life. But in a dream, an angel reassured him that everything was part of God’s plan. Can we believe this truth?

May the Lord send us a dream in times of difficulty to help us face every situation and, like Joseph, become credible witnesses of faith.

 Am I ready to trust the Lord in my most difficult moments?

Am I, like St. Joseph, willing to obey and carry out God’s will in my life?

Am I a silent worker, willing to serve without seeking recognition?

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