Daily Gospel Reflection
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March 20, 2023
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.
On this and every day, we remain thankful for all the fathers who bring comfort and joy to their children’s lives. Some of these fathers are well-known within their broader families and their communities insofar as they are, in some ways, “larger than life.”
Other fathers, though, are in the background, serving their roles carefully and faithfully with little fanfare. Saint Joseph, whose feast we observe today, falls into the latter category. He seems to be the type of father who did the mundane things that only Mary and Jesus saw.
For example, we can imagine him soothing Jesus as he cried as an infant, rubbing his legs as he experienced growing pains, or just being beside Jesus as he contemplated his emerging life with some degree of trepidation.
Would Joseph’s support spread beyond the immediate family? For example, could we see Joseph taking the time to talk and reassure a peer of Jesus who seemed lonely and apart from the activities of those around him? Certainly.
Today’s gospel passage epitomizes the role of Joseph. When faced with, for lack of a better description—a challenging situation—his first thought was for the dignity of Mary. Then, based solely on what must have been a wondrous but terrifying dream, he accepts his role as Jesus’ father. And, in taking this role, he went to work alongside Mary to raise the Son of God.
Let us pray for all the fathers, sung and unsung among us, who seek to emulate the quiet presence of Joseph in their children’s lives.
Prayer
St. Joseph, you were entrusted to be the foster father of the Son of God. May we place our trust in your example, and may Mary, your spouse, increase our gift of gratitude for the divine life that was given to us by Jesus Christ. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Martin of Braga was a bishop and evangelizer who spread the faith in the Iberian peninsula in the 500s. He was born in central Europe and made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land before joining other pilgrims who were returning to an area in the northern part of present-day Portugal, where he settled.
He was a highly-regarded scholar—said by contemporaries to be the smartest man of his age—and preached against the Arian heresy, which was gaining ground in the region. His preaching attracted many who had wandered from the faith, including the king. He also built several monasteries.
Because of his connections to the king, he stayed in the royal court for a time, but he continued to live like a monk. He oversaw his monasteries with strict discipline and was promoted to oversee the Church in the region from the city of Braga, a role he kept until his death in 580. His relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
St. Martin of Braga, you evangelized Spain and Portugal—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Martin of Braga is in the public domain. Last accessed February 6, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
