Monday March 20
The uprightness of Joseph consisted in doing the right thing without humiliating anyone else in the process. Thus when he heard of Mary being pregnant before they could live together, he decided to do the right thing—to divorce Mary, but secretly so that her name would not be discredited. And when God revealed to him the truth of her pregnancy, Joseph did not think twice to change his decision and wholeheartedly collaborate with God’s plan. Authentic righteousness of a true man of God! Though Jesus did not carry the biological genes of Joseph, he would have learned a lot from watching Joseph as to how to respect the dignity of persons even when they are sinners and how to conform to God’s will with one’s total being. He was indeed the most worthy husband to Mary, the Mother of God, and the most worthy foster father to Jesus, the Son of God.
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The evangelist Matthew relates the annunciation to Joseph, as Luke related that of Mary's. The bitter surprise of the legal father of Jesus was set-aside at the news that the angel gives about his wife Mary. Since then, this simple and just man will have to perform a delicate task that begins with the imposition of the name of Jesus (God saves) to the son of Mary. His silence and fidelity to the mission is an example that we should also follow. Jesus will be proud of this father and will not ashamed to be called the "carpenter's son".