In this special year, which Pope Francis has asked that we dedicate to St. Joseph, and during this long pandemic, we are encouraged to rejoice with St. Joseph as we recall God’s goodness to us all.
All of us are born with a part to play in the divine plan. We are not put here for no reason. Our heavenly Father calls us each by name, just as He called St. Joseph. We are God’s beloved sons and daughters, and He gives us a part to play in building the family of God — His Church and His Kingdom — on earth. That is why the Savior of the world came to live a very ordinary human life in the home of Mary and Joseph.
God’s Kingdom comes – not only in the momentous occasions or great struggles of history – but also in the decisions and details of ordinary life: in our work, in our participation in school, church, and communities, and in a special way, in our homes and families. Pope Francis’ letter marking the beginning of the Year “Amoris Laetitia,” is a special invitation to reflect on the joy of family life and love. Again, we and our families are a part of God’s plan: salvation comes into our world in the person of a Child born (and raised) in a human family. The Lord’s plan continues in the way we love and raise our own families.
Let us pray. “Attentive and compassionate St. Joseph, in Blessed Mary and you, the Divine Word found a favorable environment in which to carry out the will of the Father; thus, you became the family of the Child-God. In your gentle life together, you experienced love daily. The unity of your hearts transformed life’s lessons into growing wisdom and grace. Please open our hearts today to the Word that lives within us, so that our actions may bear witness to our connection to the family of God. Sustain us in our emotional commitments, where giving and forgiving shape our identities. Grant us your tenderness in the things we do this day! Through your intercession and in the name of Jesus. Amen.”
