Monday, March 20, 2017

Reflection for March 20, 2017

Solemnity of Saint Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
2 SM 7:4-5A, 12-14A, 16
PS 89: 2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
ROM 4:13, 16-18, 22
PS 84: 5
MT 1:16, 18-21,  24A or LK 2:41-51A

How many of us would be so willing to just accept God’s will without taking a second to think about what His offering holds? I don’t think any of us would just jump at the chance of saying, “yes” without taking at least a minute to think about it.

In today’s Gospel, did you hear what the Lord told Joseph? The angel of the Lord appeared in Joseph’s dream and said to him, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home”. The Lord told Joseph to accept Mary into his life. This woman, who was told to be a “virgin”, but had a baby in her womb, was supposed to just be easily accepted into Joseph’s life. Joseph knew Mary was pregnant. She was pregnant with someone else’s child or maybe it was really the Lord’s Son. But how can he just accept a pregnant woman of an unknown man? Accepting a woman who claims herself to be a “virgin” and become the father of a bastard child was not socially acceptable amongst people. However, feeling the presence of God through the angel, all Joseph was able to do was say, “yes” to Him. His faith and trust in God is all that it took for him to obey God’s command at once. That night Joseph just woke up from his sleep and “did as the angel of the Lord had commanded himand took his wife into his home”. He didn’t take a second to doubt God’s wish. He didn’t go to a friend’s place to talk it out. He didn’t pace back and forth in his room running the pros and cons of accepting Mary. What Joseph did was simply accept the Lord’s plan. There was no hesitation. There was period of questioning the Almighty God.

The Gospel today gives us an example of what it takes to just say, “yes” to God. God gives us so many opportunities in life to just say “yes”, but we tend to overthink His offers for us and miss the possibilities of what greater experiences we could have had if we only listened to Him. During this season of Lent, it is important to just sit and listen to God. We should be able to say “yes, Lord” to whatever His plans are for us. Instead of questioning Him and thinking about what He is asking us to do, we should trust in Him and accept the plan that He has for us. He only wants to bring us good. The next time you are deciding between two or more choices, think about what God would want you to do. Look for His voice and listen to His wish. For His plans are greater than yours.


Tima Tito, Senior Nursing Student from Chicago, IL.

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