Dear friends in Christ

As we enter the final week of Advent, our hearts and thoughts go to St Joseph in a particular way. He is the silent companion of Mary throughout the story of the Nativity. But despite his silence in the Gospels, we can glean a great deal about this important Saint. St Joseph’s whole glory and happiness lay in his knowing how to understand what God wanted of him and in his having faithfully carried it out to the end. The Gospel of the Mass on this Sunday before Christmas shows us how he understood the Will of God for him and, without questioning or deliberating, took Mary to himself and supported her through the difficult time ahead. We read in a Sermon by St Augustine that: St Joseph not only claims the name of father, but has a greater claim to it than any other. How was he a father? All the more effectively, the more chaste the paternity. Some thought that he was the father of our Lord Jesus Christ in the same way as other fathers who beget their sons of the flesh and do not receive them only as the fruit of a spiritual love. This is why St Luke says: ‘he was thought to be the father of Jesus.’ Why only thought to be? Because thought and human judgement refer to what is usual among men. And our Lord was not born of Joseph’s seed. Yet of the piety and love of Joseph a son—who was the Son of God—was born to him of the Virgin Mary.

Let us think of St Joseph very close to Mary in these days, and as we look upon his image—beautifully restored in our church in time for Christmas—let us ask his prayers for our families. We ask him to inspire strong and godly models of fatherhood, who will teach and form their children in the ways of virtue and holiness.

God bless you all in this week!

Msgr Kevin Hale