Thought for the Day – 9 March – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
“Short Meditations for March, St Joseph”
From “The Devout Year”
By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
9th Day – St Joseph’s First Joy
+1. Joseph in his sad perplexity, had for some time prayed and thought and thought and prayed again. Externally, his conduct gave no sign of the anguish of his soul. But all the same, Mary must have been conscious of the thoughts which were passing in her dear spouse’s mind and, although God had given her no leave to speak, she prayed continually that He would make known to Joseph, what had taken place in her. God could not refuse to listen to His handmaid’s
prayer.
+2. One night, as Joseph slept, an Angel appeared.
“Fear not,” he said “to take to thee Mary, thy wife, for that which is conceived in Mary’s womb, is of the Holy Ghost.”
That Child is Divine, nay, is Himself God. Thou art appointed to be His Guardian and protector. Thou shalt call His Name Jesus; thou shalt be the foster-father of thy God, as thou art the true husband of His Mother.
Thus it is, God intervenes to dispel the fears of His servants who watch and pray, who patiently abide God’s time and seek only His Will.
+3. What intense joy and lightness of heart fill the soul of Joseph at the Angel’s words! His bewildered perplexity was changed into peace and gladness. He was to be the consort of the Mother of God; nay more, he was to have the rights of a father over the Son of God; he was to have the unspeakable privilege of dwelling with God Incarnate!
O happy Joseph! Thy obedience and patience indeed received, a rich reward.
AnaStpaul 