Good Fathering

A close look at the few facts we have about St. Joseph, whose feast we celebrate today give us insight into the qualities of what a good father should possesss. He shines as a light in the muddle our society is creating of family. A man who did not have all the answers, he learned to trust as time and time again he was faced with challenges beyond what he probably thought were his limits: a fiancee with a child not his, a search for a place for that child to be born, exile from his own country and life in a foreign land, resettling in Nazareth, finding a home and starting a business. the loss of the young boy...The Gospel reports his being "troubled" by Mary's pregnancy, and we can imagine that being troubled in the other situations. He prayed, he listened, God spoke in dreams and Joseph obeyed. His prayer deepened as did his faith and trust, enabling him to be a strong father, faithful husband, family protector. So much so that in 1870 Pope Pius IX named him Patron of the universal Church. So, with one scandal after another "troubling" us, we have this model of prayer, trust and obedience to God's will before us. May we follow is example, and be assured that he will be there for us as he was for his own holy family.
Bro. Rene