THE ANGEL APPEARS TO JOSEPH — TRUST
Matt. 1:18–25
- Joseph being awakened by an angel and told the good news about Mary.
- The grace, my Lord, to hold my Father’s Hand through every sorrow.
For a few days St. Joseph struggled with his doubts and fears. He couldn’t work. He couldn’t eat or sleep. It was only out of sheer exhaustion that he finally fell into a fitful sleep. During that night he was awakened by a soft voice—an angel of God! Joseph jumped up from the small mat to kneel before God’s messenger.
“Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived by her is of the Holy Spirit.”
The news was startling! The relief it brought seemed to drain all the strength from his body. He sank back in his kneeling position, his face buried in his hands.
“Thank God,” he heard himself sobbing. “Thank God!”
This was her secret! No wonder she was silent! Joseph felt his strength come back now. He knelt up straight, his face lifted to heaven, eyes misty with tears of joy. His soul was lost in gratitude to God.
O my Father in Heaven, how perfect and beautiful was the soul of Joseph at that moment! He had such a clear vision then of Your goodness and providence! And yet that vision would never have possessed his soul so completely unless the pain and the torturous doubt had come first.
O Divine Sculptor, You show me how You work on the stubborn stone of my soul. You hammer unmercifully with hammer and chisel. You chip. You cut—but now I know why! It is only to change the rough, shapeless block into the beautiful image of Your Son.
How else can we be formed in patience and trust except under the relentless chisel of suffering? How else can our lazy wills learn humility, self-discipline or charity! Forming Saints is your great work, my Father; Suffering is only the tool.
My Father, how often I experience that same utter confusion of anxious fear and sorrow. Conflicting thoughts torture my mind like the beating of a heavy pulse. I’m like a frightened child—alone, afraid, very hurt!
And then, into that dark gloom, You send an angel of grace, and I realize that I am not alone—that my Father is near!
Like St. Joseph, I begin to understand that my life is not without plan and meaning; that all the struggles and sufferings and dark moments are not stumbling blocks, but stepping stones to bring me closer to Life Eternal!
Send me what You will, my Father! From now on I will trust as St. Joseph did—no matter how dark the night or bitter the sorrow. “He Who watches Israel slumbers not nor sleeps.” I have a Father!
“Being a homemaker is one of the best gifts that we can bring to our family. Your joyful presence in the home is greater than any present they’ll find under the tree.” – Darlene Schacht
Artist: Anna Ancher
Date: circa 1886–1890 (late 19th century)
“As we gaze upon the Son of God made Man, lying helpless on a bed of scratchy straw in an animals’ cave, the contrasts overwhelm us. Here is real poverty and hardship, so startlingly different from our fish-tailed world of chrome and comforts….” The Silent World of Christmas by Fr. James Deske, S.J.
Do you want some good book suggestions? Visit…
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That is an excellent reading today! Its too the point! Hope and trust that He will see us thru! 🕯️🕯️🕯️
Thank you!
P. s. I am told that today is the anniversary of the first part of the Hail Mary as a proper for mass by St Gregory the great! 😇
Oh Leanne I desperately needed these words today.
Thank you so very much.
You’re welcome Tracy! ❤️🎄