Seeing from the Eyes of Faith and Compassion

March 19, 2025 – Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031925.cfm)

When life becomes confusing, messy and overwhelming, how do we react? When our relationship is intrigued by anger or hatred or contempt over a misunderstood situation, are we easily driven by negative emotions and withdraw from the situation and hide? When we believe that our relationship is at the verge of collapse because of unresolved issues, how do we respond?

These situations that we may find in our relationships are also invitations for us to be more discerning. Allowing the Lord to have significant space in our relationships would help us to be more objective and to look at the current issues from the perspective of faith and compassion. This is what I would like to propose today as our point of reflection on this Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary.

 The Gospel of Matthew presents to us the attitudes that portray faith and compassion.  Above all, we also realize an attitude that seeks guidance from God’s wisdom.

Joseph’s relationship with Mary was intrigued with a suspicion of scandalous betrayal and unfaithfulness.  Joseph knew that even though, Mary and himself were still at the period of engagement, but then, Mary was already pregnant. Having this kind of situation, it was also clear for the people in their village that Joseph was not the father.

Joseph himself was confident that Mary’s child in her womb was not his. Joseph knew that the Jewish law would find Mary guilty of adultery.  This was punishable by shame and death. Their law mandated Joseph to divorce Mary.

In a small village like Nazareth, gossip was surely faster than lightning. Certainly, every person in their village would know that Mary was pregnant though they have not yet lived together. If we would imagine Joseph, he too must have been hurt. He might have felt being betrayed. Joseph was most likely in darkness at that moment, confused and overwhelmed by the intriguing situation.

Yet, Joseph showed a non-reactive attitude. He did not allow his emotions to overwhelm him. In fact, the Gospel described him as a righteous man. Hence, instead of condemning Mary instantly, he showed compassion by divorcing her silently. He did that so that Mary will not be disgraced and bullied by others.

This was how Joseph treated this difficult situation from the perspective of faith and compassion. He neither not wanted Mary to suffer nor the baby in her womb. It was his faith and compassion that moved him to protect Mary despite his confusion.

This pleased the Lord. Joseph was indeed a good man, righteous and thoughtful. This became the way for God to reveal the divine plan. And God made the revelation to Joseph in the night of dreaming and pondering. Through that revelation, Joseph’s view of Mary and her pregnancy and even of himself became larger and brighter. Joseph began to see the overwhelming and scandalous situation of Mary’s pregnancy through the eyes of faith. Thus, fear and disappointment, anger and hatred were indeed irrelevant and even destructive.

Joseph saw and felt the true scandal in what was revealed to him. God revealed Himself to Joseph. God has become man there in the womb of Mary. It was scandalous because we thought that God is only up there or out there in the heavens. We believed it was a place that no person can reach. Yet, Mary got pregnant.

This unexpected pregnancy of Mary tells us that God is intimately present with us.

Joseph received a revelation. He then understood that Mary’s pregnancy was a statement of God’s faithfulness. It was also a testament to His commitment to us. God commits himself to be our God. God commits to choose us as God’s people. And so, Joseph was told to name the baby, “Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” This was how Joseph was also called to participate in God’s loving plan for all of us. Joseph was to protect, cherish, and love Mary and Jesus. And Joseph embraced this.

This is God’s assurance to us now. The Lord, indeed, is present. He lives in the midst of our lives, in the midst of our pain and our failures. He is there in our disappointments, hurts, and fears. He is even present in overwhelming situations we are in. Like St. Joseph, let also be more discerning and to see life’s situations from the perspective of faith. Hinaut pa.