Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Thursday of the fourth week of Lent, March 19th, 2026; Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Delivered by Dwi Setyo from the Parish of Our Lady of Assumption in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. 2 Samuel 7: 4-5a.12-14a.16; Rs psalm 89: 2-3.4-5.27.29; Romans 4: 13.16-18.22; Matthew 1: 16.18-21.24a. JOSEPH, A MAN OF SOLUTION Our meditation today is entitled: Joseph, a Man ofSolution. The history of salvation told in the scriptures shows great figureswho have a great influence on us. A person as great as Abraham, as the secondreading from Saint Paul's Letter to the Romans, is the father of many nationson the basis of his faith. A person as strong as King David, as the firstreading from the prophet Samuel's second book says, occupies the throne ofgovernment provided by God to be passed down from generation to generation in orderto realize God's will for the coming of the Messiah. But in their times, the coming of the Messiah wasstill limited to the promises and prophecies of the prophets. The commonunderstanding of the figure of the Messiah is a warrior, fighter, liberator,and ruler of humanity. Period after period and character after character,discussions about the figure of the Messiah seem to clash God's will withlimited human understanding and belief. This continued until the time was rightfor God to give sign on the coming of the true Messiah, beginning with the goodnews from heaven to a humble and sincere virgin named Mary of Nazareth. The Messiah must give up all power and might which aregenerally held to be supernatural in nature. The most sensitive and publicscandalous problem was that the virgin conceived the Son of God who became ahuman person and must become the Messiah. Who could be the solution, inanticipation of the spread of a huge scandal, so that the child to be bornlater would be declared to have biological parents. Without giving room forpeople to raise polemic or question it, God already had an answer, which was aman of David's descendant who lived in Nazareth. He was Joseph, the carpenter,made the husband of the Virgin Mary. Joseph was a very modest, sincere, and righteous man.God made him the solution to the plan of salvation about the coming of theMessiah, Jesus Christ. Thus, the Nazareth family is a perfect solution to thereal situation in the world because it gives testimony on simplicity,sincerity, humility, willingness, and purity of life. The Virgin Mary standsout with a powerful image because she is as simple and sincere as her husbandJoseph. They are united with the Savior, Jesus Christ, who presentstogetherness and unity as a solution from God for the problems that befall ourpersonal, family, Church, and society. Simplicity and sincere life is thesolution to the currents of materialism and greed of the world. Unity as afamily and community of faith is the solution to the threat of division anddisintegration. Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... O Jesus Christ, make our hearts sincere andpure like Saint Joseph so we can better serve Him and our neighbor. Glory ...In the name of the Father ...