Mark 2:10-11
"But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”--
he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”
“No act of virtue can be great if it is not followed by advantage for others. So, no matter how much time you spend fasting, no matter how much you sleep on a hard floor and eat ashes and sigh continually, if you do no good to others, you do nothing great.”
― John Chrysostom

Daily Bible Verse / Reflection

The Solemnity of St Joseph, the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
"Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

"Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.

"Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

"When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home."
Who is Joseph?

St Joseph is the man chosen by God to be the foster father and guardian of Jesus.

God communicates with us through a variety of ways, viz:
#1. Inspiration
#2. Locution
#3. Sacred Scripture
#4. Prophetic person /message
#5. Dream

St Joseph is a man of dreams. Matthew recorded 4 Dreams of Joseph in the Infancy Narrative:
1. Matthew 1: 24
2. Matthew 2: 13
3. Matthew 2: 19
4. Matthew 2: 22

"When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home." (Matthew 1: 24).

Joseph is a very docile and obedient man.

Joseph is a just and considerate man. Consider what he did faced with the evidence that Mary was carrying a child not his own:
"Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly." (Matthew 1: 19).

Joseph is a man of high purity and chastity. God chose him to be the husband of Mary because God had fitted him with the appropriate graces to protect the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Joseph the humble carpenter is the patron saint of workers. He understands that genuine labor is collaborating with God where, what and when you are assigned.

The Church considers St Joseph the greatest Saint after the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Joseph is so fittingly named the Patron of the Universal Church.
​Remember that he was the Guardian of Jesus and in his intercessory role, you can believe that Jesus will deny nothing to Joseph.

Joseph is a very docile and obedient man.

Joseph is a man of high purity and chastity. God chose him to be the husband of Mary because God had fitted him with the appropriate graces to protect the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Joseph the humble carpenter is the patron saint of workers. He understands that genuine labor is collaborating with God where, what and when you are assigned.

The Church considers St Joseph the greatest Saint after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Joseph is so fittingly named the Patron of the Universal Church.

Remember that he was the Guardian of Jesus and in his intercessory role, you can believe that Jesus will deny nothing to Joseph.

“To other saints our Lord has given power to help in one sort of need, but this glorious saint, as I know by experience, helps us in every need.” (St Teresa of Avila).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com