At Home With Mary and Joseph

Each of us was called to not only imitate Jesus as fully as we can, but also to bring him to others.  Where and how we do this is left to us to decide.  Most of us do it in the context of marriage and the family; happily we have two excellent models to show us the way, Joseph and Mary.  We have no direct knowledge of what went on in their home in Nazareth, or when they were living temporarily in Egypt, but we can infer from the little that is said, that their lives were simple and centered around their Son, Jesus.  Joseph worked daily at his carpentry trade, taught Jesus these skills as well as how to deal with people in accordance with the Law of Moses. His work provided the income for their sustenance.  Mary, a good housewife, tended toward the usual duties of providing food for their meals, as well as other household and motherly tasks.  Nothing extraordinary, nothing we don't or cannot do ourselves.  And from this loving family emerges the Savior of the World.  The lesson is that doing these ordinary things for Jesus, with Jesus, and in Jesus, we not only sanctify ourselves, but become the witnesses to each other, to our family and to our neighbors that we are supposed to be as sincere followers of Jesus.  Coming into daily contact with students at Central Catholic, and seeing their goodness and their ability to love others, I see in them a reflection of their home life and see that their parents are creating Jesuses for our day.  Praise God!
Bro. Rene