Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Wednesday of the 2nd week of Lent, March 19, 2025, Solemnity of Saint Joseph, the Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, 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 THE MAN WHO GIVES SOLUTIONS Our meditation today has the theme: Joseph the Man WhoGives Solutions. The historical account of salvation conveyed by the scripturesshows great figures who have had a great influence on us. A man as great asAbraham, as the second reading of the Letter of the Apostle Paul to the Romansconveys, was the father of many nations on the basis of his faith. A figure aspowerful as King David, as the first reading of the second book of Samuelconveys, occupies the throne of government that God has prepared for generationsto be passed down from generation to generation in order to realize God's willfor 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 generalunderstanding of the profile of the Messiah is that of a fighter, warrior,liberator, and ruler of mankind. Period after period and characters change, thediscussion of the figure of the Messiah seems to contradict between God's willwith limited human understanding and belief. This continued until the Lord'stime was right to signify the coming of the true Messiah, which began with theevent of the glad tidings from heaven to a very humble virgin named Mary ofNazareth. The Messiah must give up all privileges that accordingto the general assumption are entirely supernatural. The most sensitive issuethat could become a public scandal was that the virgin conceived the Son of Godto be a human person, who had to become the Messiah. Who can be the solution,in anticipation of the spread of a great scandal, so that the prodigy child whowas born later to be declared to have biological parents? Without giving roomfor people to polemic or question it, the Lord God already has the answer,namely a man of David's descendance who lived in Nazareth. He was Joseph, thecarpenter, who was made the Virgin Mary's husband. A man of great modesty, sincerity, and purity, Josephwas made by God the solution to the plan of salvation of the coming of theMessiah, Jesus Christ. Thus, the Nazareth family is complete as a solutionwhose characteristic is their modesty, sincerity, humility, willingness, andpurity of heart. The Virgin Mary stands out for being just as simple andsincere as her husband. They are united with the Savior Jesus Christ whodisplays togetherness and fellowship as God's solution to the problems thatafflict our individuals, families, the Church, and our communities. Livingmodestly and sincerely became a solution to the life style of materialism andfalsehood. Communion as a family and community of faith is a solution to thethreat of division and disintegration. Let us pray. In the name of the Father... O Jesus Christ,make our hearts sincere and holy like Saint Joseph so that we may serve You andour neighbors with good faith. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to theHoly Spirit ... In the name of the Father...