Reason and faith are not at war with each other. The two are the best of friends when harnessed well.
Joseph was a man of deep reasoning. He appears to be critical in his assessment of issues before making decisions. However, he was equally a man of deep faith. His intellectual prowess was at the service of his faith.
In ancient Judaism, betrothal was the first part of the covenant of marriage, constituting a man and a woman as husband and wife. Already in the betrothal state, the couple were considered to be legally married and only death or divorce could terminate the whole process (cf. Deut. 24:1-4).The betrothal period was temporary, lasting up to one year, after which the man takes his wife home and thereafter live together.
It was during that legal relationship of husband and wife, prior to coming to live together that Joseph discovered that Mary was pregnant. It must have been a shocking discovery. In our Gospel text for today, we are told, “Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and wanting to spare her disgrace, decided to divorce her informally” (Mat 1:19). Faith, however, beckoned Joseph to take a leap when an angel appeared to him in a dream. He obeyed, took Mary home as his wife and would later name the child 'Jesus' as revealed by the angel.
In the person of Joseph, we grasp the spirit that ought to pervade our preparation for the forthcoming celebration of the birth of the Saviour. Christmas is a celebration of faith by a people of faith.
During the remaining days of the season of Advent, may we all endeavour to engage ourselves in wholesome spiritual activities that will boost our faith and may the tangible expression of our faith bring a renewed understanding of what Christmas is all about.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, as the celebration of your birth draws near, I renew my faith in you and commit myself to do the will of the Father in all situations. Amen
I have been thinking a great deal about my experience at Reconciliation this past Saturday. I felt an intense and unexplainable urge to go and confess my sins when I woke up that morning. I try to go every six weeks or so, but this was no routine visit to the priest for me. I needed to unburden myself of the numerous venial sins I had committed since I last participated in this Sacrament.
Purest Gold: God's Refining Fire in our Lives »
After salvation, many young Christians wonder if there's anything more to their newfound faith than just the security blanket of "being a Christian." Time and time again, God shows himself as a "refiner," and our lives are as gold. God started leading me in this study to understand what He was doing in my life, as well as in the lives of others.
Picking up my pen to write this column, I couldn’t imagine how time flies. Since the last publication of this column I have gone through a lot, especially the loss of my dear mother to whom I dedicate this article. Not only her, but seems I lost a whole generation of my close family.
How to Achieve Business Excellence »
“Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before Kings; He will not stand before unknown men.” Proverbs 22:29
Spiritual Development for our Youth »
Most of us youth in today's fast moving world are easily thrown off by difficulties and worries.
The theme of conversion is a thread that runs all through Lent, but conversion takes on different aspects throughout the phases of Lent. The first two and a half weeks focused on the interior turning of hearts; the liturgy urges the faithful to reflect and examine consciences thoroughly.
Saint Josephine Bakhita »
Feast Day: February 8
Patron Saint Of: Sudan
Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan. She was a member of the Daju people and her uncle was a tribal chief. Due to her family lineage, she grew up happy and relatively prosperous, saying that as a child, she did not know suffering.
Catholics Must Fast More Intensely This Lent»
The Norbertine Canons of St. Michael's Abbey have created this digital Lenten retreat so that you can journey through this holy season alongside them. If you want to have one of your best Lenten seasons yet, join us in our Lenten Program "The Great Fast" - https://theabbotscircle.com/the-great-fast-join
When Your Faith Is Put to the Test - Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon»
Friends, we come now to the Second Sunday of Lent, and we’re on both dangerous and very holy ground with the first reading from the twenty-second chapter of Genesis. The ancient Israelites referred to it as the “Akedah,” which means the “binding”: Abraham binds and is ready to sacrifice Isaac at God’s command.
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