BEING OBEDIENT AND BEING JUST

The topic that I am choosing is actually very common, which is also the gospel of today, the visitation of the angel to Joseph in his dream, announcing the good news of Mary’s pregnancy by the Holy spirit. It is not the feast of St. Joseph but I felt, while contemplating, that it is important to revisit our missionary life in the footsteps of St. Joseph, especially for this season. Take note that the appearance has this outline: (1) note of circumstance; (2) appearance of the angel of the Lord in a dream; (3) command of angel to Joseph; (4) explanation of command; (5) Joseph rises and obediently responds. Reflecting on this issue, first of all, there is that strange feeling in me of the Lord choosing vulnerable people, to be His parents. There is that young maiden and the silent Joseph. The point is that Jesus has his origin in God, in fulfillment of a prophecy, yet chose simple and vulnerable people to give Him light. This is just a feeling, but I am also trying to connect it on how the Lord chose you and me. He took us out from our vulnerabilities and prepared us for a big responsibility. For me, personality, number of years in the mission does not matter; it is our freewill, our attitude, our legend, marks in the hearts of people. We can be in the mission for fifteen or twenty years, but if don’t leave marks in the lives of people, if don’t touch their hearts, there is something needed to be seen. I could imagine the fate of Mary, she would have been stoned to death, Joseph could have divorced her, he could have ended their relationship, or go forward but accusing Mary of adultery. I would like to divert your attention and release your imagination. Joseph was in a disturbed situation upon learning Mary’s pregnancy. ‘What shall I do?’ He was confused what to do! The question is from a man who is experiencing turmoil’s in life, no other answer was on his mind. Have we ever used this question in our life? Have you ever asked God ‘What shall I do?’ When you were in situation of nothingness and powerlessness, did you confront Him what to do? Sometimes, we overestimate our own human power, as if we are able to do everything. Sometimes, we are good in escaping from our own troubles, we are good in manoeuvring, masked, double faceted, yet deep inside, we have questions, doubts, troubles, and we never talk, ask and share: what shall I do? Another imagination I had in my mind is a conversation with Joseph, humanly speaking, telling him: ‘Maybe it’s late, the woman is already pregnant. You can leave her!’ But then, a question was formed in my mind right away: ‘Too late for what? Joseph was driven by love and respect. He was confused because his just character was provoked. For us, what time is it with God? It is not too late to reconcile with Him, He is there time after time, He owns the time, a thousand years is just like a single day for Him; it’s not too late to reconcile with our own feelings and emotions, with people who perhaps have hurt us long time ago, or we have hurt. I imagine, being a ‘just person’, Joseph trying always to lead his life by God’s rules, not his own rules. To be led always by God’s light. This is something that we should never forget. For many times, people function according to human instinct- revenge, harsh words, pride, provocations, hypocrisy- all for the satisfaction of human ego. We feed our minds with thoughts that show our strong personalities, that we cannot be easily trampled down by others. Our rule is to let people feel what you have in your mind. I would like to bring back what I have said long time ago: To inject the person the second or third or fourth dose of his own medicine. And we like that people will suffer a bit of our harshness sometimes. Another fruit of my imagination is Joseph’s deep concern towards Mary. She is pregnant. He is disturbed. Yet he was an upright man, and in no way did he want to discredit Mary. He knows that his plans of divorcing Mary will not sit well in his heart. Mary is pregnant, alone, suspected of adultery. There was that deep concern. And I brought this feeling of concern in my prayer. How concern am I to my people, to my brothers, to our workers, to my pastoral commitments, to common ones etc? We care for people at times because there is a business, because there is something involved. But what about that free and overflowing love and concern that come out from the heart. Do I have this enthusiasm to be with people? Do I care in a real sense? Is my being here justified by the love I have for them, or by the obedience that I am sent here? Just a phrase flashed in my mind as I contemplated, perhaps, Joseph said: “I will place this matter in the hands of God.” He rested his thoughts, freed his mind and emptied his heart from all these worries and placed his concern in the hands of God. Joseph’s faith was the most outstanding ever. When there are situations of confusions, we normally solve them right away by instinct, by reactions or immediate actions, not pausing for a while that the Lord can do great wonders. I imagine after that holy dream of Joseph, when the Lord intervened into his life, there was brightness- heart, mind and spirit. God hears our cries. God knows of our pains. Perhaps, Joseph did not understand everything yet, but he placed his trust into the hands of the Lord. This could be for us also, we wont understand life in the midst of confusions, what we do is just to place our lives into the hands of God. When there is no answer for our questions, when there is nobody who can understand our emotions, there is only one place to turn, that is toward God- to follow God’s rules, not your own rules. He shall be faithful to us in return. We don’t need to place ourselves in jeopardy or in great danger, what He simply needs is our simple faith. What we need is to grow in faith. It is so easy to miss the Lord. Joseph placed his trust in God, would you be able to do the same? Let us pray: Father God, I too at times feel alone in a world I do not understand. Keep me strong in faith. Allow me to see the path. Remind me that you walk beside me all the time. Amen