Following Jesus’ example of obeying the will of God can be a difficult thing.  I found out first hand just how hard it can be.  I had been offered a new job that was an incredible opportunity and blessing that God bestowed upon me.  That bad part was it was 400 miles from my home and that meant leaving my family and striking out on my own until our house could be sold and they could join me.

I was confident that God wanted me to follow this path.  I knew this was what God meant for me to do…even though I knew the loneliness and hardships of being away from my wife and son, for an undetermined amount of time, would be difficult to bear.  I cried almost every day that we were apart and pleaded with God to hasten our reunion.  I forgot that what is to be is in God’s time not my time.  It is “Thy will be done,” not “my” will be done.

God had given me, up to that point, the toughest test of my life and I nearly failed.  I nearly failed because I made the situation about me and my loneliness, and not the blessings and path God had chosen for me.

Jesus knew his time on earth was coming to an end.  His humanity was troubled and afraid of what was to come to pass.  Even though he was afraid of the prospect of facing death he knew there was no way to go against the will of his Father so he went willingly.

His death and resurrection had been predestined from the beginning of time and he was prepared to fulfill that prophecy.  He said to his disciples “Amen,  amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit”.  Jesus knew that his death and resurrection would cleanse the sins of man and inspire many people to follow in the steps of fledgling Christianity.  Jesus knew his death and resurrection would be an almost irresistible call to people to follow his teachings and to live their lives closer to God and his covenants.

The challenge for us as Christians, is to accept whatever God has planned for us.  We may not understand his reasoning, but we must have unwavering faith, just as Jesus did.  We must learn that we are to follow God’s will no matter how difficult or frightening it may seem.  We must remember that God has only love for us, and has only the best intentions for us in our lives.

Therefore it is up to us to go forth and proclaim the joys of the gift of forgiveness. Christ died for us. We must also bear fruit in our lives but praising and preaching the word of God.

Just like our Heavenly Father gives us love, care, stability and the standard to live by with his holy word in the scriptures, he is a true Father to us who wants the very best for all his children.  St. Joseph follows our Father’s example, as both husband and step-father.  He gives us examples which men should follow in their lives. Joseph cared for and provided for the Holy Household. There are many qualities that Joseph had which we could use to be the role model for Christian husbands and fathers. Joseph was a very compassionate man.  We can see an example of this when he suspected his wife of infidelity; he planned to divorce her quietly rather than denounce her publicly and expose her to public shame and penalty.

Joseph was always obedient to God and did what he knew was God’s will without hesitation.  Examples of this are that he kept Mary as his wife; he protected and provided for his family when they had to flee to foreign lands to protect them from danger.

Joseph led a life of deep prayer and was in communion with God, and would always seek out that which was God’s will. God often told Joseph his will using dreams.

Joseph was a provider of care, When Jesus’s life was threatened, Joseph would take them out of danger. He took his family to Egypt and only returned when it was safe to do so, and when Jesus went missing ataged twelve, Joseph went searching for him bas both parents were obviously extremely worried about Jesus’s safety.

Joseph also brought much more to Jesus’s life, he taught him his trade which Jesus worked in for about twenty years, he gave Jesus love, stability and was his earthly male role model, which was and still is vitally important for a good father to give any child.

Sadly not all children are brought up in such a way today, but husbands and fathers truly should seek to follow this sincere man of God in the way they run their lives. Are you married? Do you give all the love, trust and respect to your spouse? Or with stresses and strains do you always argue or not truly make time for each other? If you have children, do you know where they are and if they are safe, or who they might be talking to online? Do you give emotional stability, patience and unconditional love? Do your children see you as the role model they need in a Father?  We should strive to be as our heavenly Father is to each of us, to our spouses, our children and in fact to all as our brothers and sisters.

While the Gospels do not shed much light on St. Joseph’s life, it is believed that he died before Jesus’ public ministry.

Over the years, many traditions and customs have sprung up in celebration of St. Joseph’s Feast Day.

According to legend, there was a famine in Sicily many centuries ago. The villagers prayed to St. Joseph, foster-father of the Infant Savior, and asked his intercession before the throne of God. Their prayers were answered. With the ending of the dreadful famine, a special feast of thanksgiving was held in commemoration of the Saint. This celebration became tradition. Wealth families prepared huge buffets. They then invited the less fortunate people of the village, especially the homeless and sick.

The celebration begins with a religious tableau. Selected villagers portray an elderly man, a lovely young woman, and a little child. The three are seated at the head table and remain there during the early part of the festivity. Others accompanying this “Holy Family” are twelve men or boys, representing the Apostles and other children, attired as angels. The village priest blesses the food, then the “Holy Family” is served first by the host and hostess.

All are free to come and go as they wish. The guests may eat what they choose and as much as pleases them. The festival lasts most of the day and well into the night. When all have been fed, they go on their way with thankful hearts and take the blessing of the host and hostess with them.

The effect of the table design is dignified, solemn, yet festive, grand and inspiring. Much symbolism is contained in its shape and decoration. The “steps” represent the ascent from earth to heaven. On the topmost step is a statue of St. Joseph or a picture of the Holy Family. White linen tablecloths cover the table. Vigil lights of green, brown and deep yellow, representing St. Joseph’s attire, are profusely placed. Palms placed nearby and around the room, as well as lily plants and white carnations give the table softness and the scents together with incense used in the opening of the ceremony are suggestive of the fragrance of heaven and the sweetness of salvation.

The food dishes represent the harvest, the created beauties of the world. Breads are baked in shapes of a staff, a carpenter’s implement, a hand, the cross and animals close to the Infant Child at birth. These shapes represent St. Joseph and the life of Christ. Minestras, very thick soups, are made of lentils, favas and other types of beans, together with escarole, broccoli or cauliflower. Other vegetables, celery, fennel stalks, boiled and stuffed artichokes are also served.

No cheese is eaten on St. Joseph’s day. The spaghetti is not sprinkled with grated Incanestrato, but in its place a traditional mixture of tasted dry bread crumbs with fresh sardines and fennel sauce is used. A dish of “sweet macaroni” with honey sauce is also served.

Then, the special dessert without which no St. Joseph’s Day buffet could ever be called by that name. It is St. Joseph’s Sfinge: a large round cream puff filled with ricotta (Italian cottage cheese) and topped with red cherries and glazed orange slices. Many dessert cookies are embellished with almonds. The almond tree is characteristic among the flora of the Mediterranean and a profoundly sacred symbol to those of Jewish, Moslem and Christian faiths alike.

All are free to come and go as they wish. The guests may eat what they choose and as much as pleases them. The festival lasts most of the day and well into the night. When all have been fed, they go on their way with thankful hearts and take the blessing of the host and hostess with them.

It is also customary for the village officials to arrange a public buffet in St. Joseph’s honor. The banquet table invariably stands in the piazza–public square–opposite the doors of the cathedral. The table is usually built around two sides of the piazza in the form of a right angle. These village tables in the public squares may not be as elaborately decorated as those in the homes, but they sage beneath the weight of choice foods and wines contributed by the wealthy villagers. All come to this public table at some time during the day to pay homage to the great saint.

 

Remember when you first learned to cuss?  Remember when you first learned to cuss and your parents found out about it?  Uh oh!  Everyone has been disciplined when it comes to saying a swear word, whether it is saying the swear word in front of one’s parents or another person tells the parents their kid used a swear word.  The most common response given to the child is, “I ought to wash your mouth out with soap!”  This disciplinary response sounds rather harsh, but it hopefully teaches a child that using a swear word is improper behavior, and from that point on, actually having had his/her mouth washed out with soap, that the child will think twice about swearing.  The punishment does not mean the parents do not love their child, but the use of a swear word has its consequences.  And the child is given a second chance.

What about when you stole something for the first time, and got caught?  What happened then?  Now, I would assume that none of you ever stole a car, but let’s use that as an example.  So, we may find a young man who steals a car and gets caught.  Of course calls his parents to help him, and to bail him out of jail.  The parents know that it will be in the best interest of their son to leave him in jail.  They are leaving them in jail not because they do not love their son, but because they want to teach him a lesson.  Out of tough love he learns that there are consequences for his actions.  They do not disown him; they love him unconditionally, and have faith he will never steal again.  He is given a second chance.

Today’s reading from the Gospel of John has a very challenging message for us, because it speaks about God’s love for us as a whole.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life (John 3:16). While at the same time there is mention of condemnation.  “Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:18)  What needs noted is that the entire Gospel passage needs to be taken in its entirety and put into appropriate context to see how God loves us.

Let us return back to the example of the child using a swear word.  If we only apply verse 18 to the situation, we would find the parents only disciplining the child with no purpose of helping the child learn from their mistake.  Yet a parent is not only there to show discipline, but to love their child unconditionally –  despite mistakes.  Let us now apply this to the example of the young person who steals a car.  Jesus is using the harsh language of condemnation just as a parent shows tough love – a parent who does not condone negative behavior; that parent who watches their son go to jail.  Jesus is boldly explaining God’s love, God’s parental love, in the entire passage.

Now, this does not mean a child has the right to keep making mistakes knowing their parents will continue to love them despite the mistakes.  Nor does it mean that because God loves us unconditionally, that we can continue to sin or turn away from God saying that it is okay because God loves me.  There is a responsibility which we have, whether it is to our parents or God.  We may mess up, but we need to strive to grow and to change our ways.  Just because this Scripture is read during Lent, just because we are in Lent, does not mean we only work hard to improve ourselves during these 40 days in preparation for  Easter; we need to apply this lesson to every day of our lives.  What are you doing to change your ways, and keep growing in your relationship with God?  What is it that you are doing, or not doing, that you need for God to give you a second chance?

Growing up, there always seemed to be a never-ending list of rules, or things I should and should not do. Also, when my parents divorced, and my Mother remarried, I learned that different places (households) had their own set of rules. As a child, well this just all became confusing at times. As children of a loving Father, we are reminded of another set of rules, which eventually became engraved in stone. In Exodus 19, we learn how these commandments came to be.

“Three months after the Israelite people left Egypt, they came to the desert called Sinai. They set up camp near the mountain called Mount Sinai and Moses went up the mountain. There God spoke to Moses and told him to say to the people, “If you will obey me, and keep my covenant, you will be my very own people.” Then Moses came back down the mountain and told the people what God had said. They all answered, “We will do everything that the Lord has said. “So Moses went back up the mountain and told this to God. Then God said, “Go down and tell the people to spend today and tomorrow on washing their clothes and getting ready. On the next day I will come down on Mount Sinai where everyone can see me. Mark a place around the mountain that the people must not cross and tell them not to go up on the mountain. If anyone touches the mountain, he must be put to death. Do not touch him; kill him with rocks or arrows.” So Moses came down the mountain and told this to the people, they washed their clothes and got ready. On the morning of the third day the Lord came down on the mountain in the form of fire and smoke went up from it. A dark cloud was on the mountain with lightning and thunder coming from it. There was the sound of a very loud trumpet and the whole mountain shook. All of the Israelites shook with fear. Moses led them out of the camp to meet God and they stood at the bottom of the mountain.”

If you were Moses, would you have been so patient to await God’s coming, to deliver a set of rules for His chosen people? As children, were we ever so patient to listen to our parents when they told us what we should and should not do? I am guessing some of us would not have been this patient, but if so, we  would not have been so quick to follow God’s instructions to the letter. Yet, this is exactly what Moses did, and in doing so, received a list of rules which still stands as a guide, not only for Christians worldwide, but as a strong set of standards most humans follow on a daily basis.

So what are those Ten Commandments gifted by God, to Moses, on Mt. Sinai? Exodus 20:1-17 offers them in detail.

“Then God spoke all these words: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work–you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it. Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

So now Moses, and pretty much everyone else, has this set of rules, in which to live by. And one would think most, if not all, are pretty straightforward. Oh, but this is not so. There have been so many misunderstandings, and misinterpretations, of these commandments, that they have sparked controversy, and fostered wars, for many many years. So why is it hard for God’s chosen people to understand the meaning of these simple rules? Well, they aren’t so simple, but when studied, and prayed on, can offer a useful set of guidelines. Let’s explore each more in depth:

1. The First Commandment is about Loyalty.
   The Creator of the universe declares He is our God and our deliverer and asks us to demonstrate our love for Him by having no other God’s. The First Commandment is the first of a series of four that define our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Establishing, developing and maintaining that personal relationship with the true and living God is the most important commitment we can ever make. That is the primary focus of the first of the Ten Commandments, “You shall have no other gods before Me”. We should love, honor and respect Him so much that He alone is the supreme authority and model in our lives. He alone is God. We should allow nothing to prevent us from serving and obeying Him.
2. The Second Commandments is about Worship..
   The one and only true God loves us so much that He is jealous of our love and does not want to share our love by us bowing down to meaningless idols. The Second Commandment goes to the heart of our relationship with our Creator. It deals with several crucial questions. How do we perceive God? How do we explain Him to ourselves and to others? Above all, what is the proper way to worship the only true God? The Second Commandment is a constant reminder that only we, of all created things, are made in the image of God. Only we can be transformed into the spiritual image of Christ, who of course came in the flesh as the perfect spiritual image of our heavenly Father.
3. The Third Commandment is about Reverence.
   God asks us to respect His Holy name and not to use it in vain. The Third Commandment focuses on showing respect. It addresses the way we communicate our feelings about God to others and to Him. It encompasses our attitudes, speech and behavior. Respect is the cornerstone of good relationships. The quality of our relationship with God depends on the love and regard we have for Him. It also depends on the way we express respect for Him in the presence of others. We are expected always to honor who and what He is. Conversely, the use of God’s name in a flippant, degrading or in any way disrespectful manner, dishonors the relationship we are supposed to have with Him. This can vary from careless disregard to hostility and antagonism. It covers misusing God’s name in any way.
4. The Fourth Commandment is about Sanctification and Relationship.
   God starts off the fourth Commandment with the word “Remember”. This is because He knew we would forget it. God asks that we keep it set apart for Holy purposes so we can draw nearer to Him. The Fourth Commandment to remember the Sabbath concludes the section of the Ten Commandments that specifically helps define a proper relationship with God, how we are to love, worship and relate to Him. It explains why and when we need to take special time to draw closer to our Creator. It is also a special sign between us and God forever, that it is Him that sanctifies us, Him alone we belong to and worship. The Sabbath, the seventh day of the week was set apart by God as a time of rest and spiritual rejuvenation.
5. The Fifth Commandment is about Respect for Parental authority.
   God instructs us to show love for our parents by honoring them. The Fifth Commandment introduces us to a series of Commandments that define proper relationships with other people. The fifth through to the 10th serve as the standards of conduct in areas of human behavior that generate the most far reaching consequences on individuals, families, groups and society. Families are the building blocks of societies that build strong nations. When families are fractured and flawed, the sad results are tragic and reflected in newspaper headlines every day. Any individual or group, including whole nations that understand the importance of strong families reap the rewards of an improved relationship and blessings from God. The Fifth Commandment shows us from whom and how the fundamentals of respect and honor are most effectively learned.
6. The Sixth Commandment is about Respect for Human life.
   God asks us to demonstrate love and not hate towards others by not murdering. We must learn to control our tempers. Taking another person’s life is not our right to decide. That judgment is reserved for God alone. That is the thrust of this Commandment. God does not allow us to choose to willfully or deliberately take another person’s life. The Sixth Commandment reminds us that God is the giver of life and He alone has the authority to take it or to grant permission to take it. God wants us to go far beyond avoiding murder. He requires that we not maliciously harm another human being in word or deed. God desires that we treat even those who choose to hate us respectfully and do all within our power to live in peace and harmony with them. He wants us to be builders, not destroyers of good relationships. To accomplish this we must respect this wonderful gift of this precious possession, human life.
7. The Seventh Commandment is about Purity in Relationships.
   God asks us to express and demonstrate our love for our partner by not committing adultery. Adultery is the violation of the marriage covenant by willful participation in sexual activity with someone other than one’s spouse. Since God’s law sanctions sexual relationships only within a legitimate marriage, the command not to commit adultery covers in principle, all varieties of sexual immorality. No sexual relationship of any sort should occur outside of marriage. That is the crux of this Commandment. Most of us need the support and companionship of a loving spouse. We need someone special who can share our ups and downs, triumphs and failures. No one can fill this role like a mate who shares with us a deep love and commitment.
8. The Eighth Commandment is about Honesty.
   God instructs us to show our love and respect for others by not stealing what belongs to them. The Eighth Commandment safeguards everyone’s right to legitimately acquire and own property. God wants that right honored and protected. His approach to material wealth is balanced. He wants us to prosper and enjoy physical blessings. He also expects us to show wisdom in how we use what He provides us and He does not want possessions to be our primary pursuit in life. When we see material blessings as a means to achieve more important objectives, God enjoys seeing us prosper. To Him it is important that generosity, rather than greed, motivate the choices we make.
9. The Ninth Commandment is about Truthfulness.
   God says if we love others we should not deceive or lie to them. How important is truth? The Bible says that Jesus is “the way and the Truth” John 14:6. To fully appreciate the Ninth Commandment with its prohibition of lying, we must realize how important truth is to God. Jesus Christ said of God the Father, “Your word is truth” John 17:17. As the source of truth, God requires that His servants always speak truthfully.. God expects truth to permeate every facet of our lives. Everything in the life of a Christian is anchored to truth. God wants us as His children, to commit ourselves to truth and reflect it in everything we do.
10. The Tenth Commandment is about Contentment..
    God instructs us not to covet because He knows it can entrap us into even greater sin. To “covet” means to crave or desire, especially in excessive or improper ways. The Tenth Commandment does not tell us that all of our desires are immoral. It tells us that some desires are wrong. Coveting is an immoral longing for something that is not rightfully ours. That is usually because the object of our desire already belongs to someone else. But coveting can also include our wanting far more than we would legitimately deserve or that would be our rightful share. The focus of the Tenth Commandment is that we are not to illicitly desire anything that already belongs to others. The opposite of coveting is a positive desire to help others preserve and protect their blessings from God. We should rejoice when other people are blessed. Our desire should be to contribute to the well being of others, to make our presence in their lives a blessing to them. The last of the Ten Commandments is aimed directly at the heart and mind of every human being. In prohibiting coveting, it defines not so much what we must do but how we should think. It asks us to look deep within ourselves to see what we are on the inside. As with each of the previous nine Commandments, it is directed toward our relationships. It specifically deals with the thoughts that threaten those relationships and can potentially hurt ourselves and our neighbors.

Now we know what we should, or should not do. But though these rules seems simple, and easy to follow, this does not mean every one can adhere to these commandments, all the time. After all, we are only human. And as a young child will inevitably mess up, so shall we, the children of a forgiving Father. So what do we do? Hide our face in shame, or pretend we didn’t do anything wrong, or worse, try to hide the evidence. Oh I did that when I was little, but somehow my parents always found out what I did. Their response? Normally it began with this statement: Why didn’t you tell us what you did, instead of lying about it at first? I figure most parents are like this, only seeking the truth from a misbehaving child. Then they can reason with him or her, offer solutions (or mild reprimands), and then show the child how much they love him/her. Is this not how our heavenly Father responds, when we have slipped up and broke a rule? He knows we are only human, and though He offers us a set of guidelines to live by, also knows we may goof up. But by His grace we are saved, and by His love we are forgiven.

 

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph 

Reading 1:SIR 3:2-6, 12-14

Responsorial Psalm:PS 128:1-2, 3, 4-5

Reading 2:COL 3:12-21

Gospel:LK 2:22-40

Today, we come together as churches and as children of the Lord to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. The Holy family of the Blessed Mary, of Joseph her spouse, and of course of our Lord Jesus Christ together as a full family. Now, we all come from families and we know as about both the joys and issues and difficulties family life can bring.  Families are made of  individuals, and individuals often have crosses to bear.  Even as part of a family, even in  the church family, we all have our crosses in life to carry. The Holy family, though indeed very blessed and Holy, were also still human and had their crosses of life to carry.

The crosses that were borne by the Holy family come to mind when reading the scriptures. Now just imagine what it must’ve been like when Mary and Joseph had to tell others how Mary had been conceived by the Holy Spirit alone? I sincerely doubt many people at first sincerely believed and accepted the truth of the situation.  Yes, there was probably talking behind their backs, mocking, and those who would’ve just seen it as merely untruthful.  How misunderstood both Mary and Joseph indeed must have been!  Can you can you imagine how they would feel?  We have all been misunderstood or not believed at times and it isn’t a good feeling at all! Even Mary, at the beginning of her pregnancy, was misunderstood by Joseph who was considering putting her away quietly,  before an Angel intervened in a dream and reassured Joseph of the truth of the  situation.  At that time Mary’s pregnancy would have been seen as acceptable by others, and Joseph was concerned how it would be seen and how it would be taken. Can you imagine how this must have felt to both Mary, and indeed to Joseph?

When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem for Jesus’s birth, there was no room and all they could find was an animal’s shelter  because Bethlehem at that time was so crowded. Can you imagine not finding anywhere to give birth? Not nice at all! After the birth of Jesus, Both Mary and Joseph had to flee because Jesus’s life was in danger from King Herod, who was killing all newborn babies and those very young in an attempt to kill Jesus as Herod saw him as a very severe threat. How this must’ve felt to both Mary and to Joseph! The fear for their son’s safety, the sadness, the confusion…the suffering!!

Mary and Joseph suffered the awful experience of losing Jesus for three days when he was twelve years old and the only satisfaction they got from him was that he had to be about his Father’s business.

We do not hear of Joseph any more so we presume that before Jesus began his public ministry in Galilee Joseph had died – The Holy Family suffering the greatest pain of all families, the pain of bereavement and separation through death.

Jesus’ public ministry must have taken its toll on Mary. Simeon had predicted in the Temple that a sword of sorrow would pierce Mary’s soul. We can imagine one such occasion as we read in Mark 3:21 that when Jesus returned to Nazareth.  One day his relatives came to take him by force, convinced that he was out of his mind. Not a very pleasant experience for any family, no matter how holy.

There were so many other crosses this Holy family had to endure, but the saddest and the one which must’ve felt like Mary’s heart was being torn from her chest, was when Mary had to watch her only son die by crucifixion upon the cross for our salvation…oh what pain and sorrow!!!

All this suffering, pain and sadness this family has had to endure yet they stayed together and extremely strong throughout, and even kept their sanity…but how?

It was their sheer strength in their never-ending love both for God our Heavenly Father, and for each other, and for their endless faith and trust in God that enabled them to come through absolutely. So what holds us and our own families together in times of trauma, or suffering? We usually stay together because of our love and forgiveness of each other. We may at times have disagreements or words, but in the end true love keeps us in good stead. We should take notice always in the way we live our lives in the message that we get from the lives of the Holy Family, and that message is that no matter how hard we may feel our lives become, we must give all our love, faith, and trust to the Lord who will never ever fail us!! Let us pray to ask that we and all our families may live with the love, faith and true trust of the Lord in our lives!!