Photo by Claire Abadji on Unsplash
I am not sure it is the case for you, but for a long time I did not recognize the connections between Old Testament foreshadowing of the fulfilled covenant in Jesus.
There are many such connections. Isaac becomes a Christ figure as he is almost sacrificed on wood. The water flowing from the Temple is a foreshadowing of baptism.
As we celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Joseph today, perhaps another foreshadowing comes to mind. Think of Saint Joseph in the book of Genesis. He was a dreamer. God shared with him in dreams a great destiny that was to be his. Saint Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, is a dreamer as well. He has dreams that let him know of the great destiny that was to be his.
I wonder how often both Josephs were comforted by the memories of their dreams. Both, for sure, had difficult moments in following the call of God. The Joseph of the Old Testament suffered at the hands of his brothers and a long time in prison. The Joseph of the New Testament suffered in the trials endured with his family, Mary and Jesus. And both Josephs were the obedient disciples who followed the call of God in their lives.
Saint Joseph provides a model for so many. As a father he shows fathers how to be holy. As a follower of God, he shows us how to be a disciple. As a dreamer, he reminds us of the importance of listening to God, especially in our hearts.
As we celebrate this great day, we say, Saint Joseph, pray for us!
Let us pray.
Dear Jesus, We pray with deep gratitude for the great blessing of Saint Joseph. He is a model for so many, and a man of great faith. May we be inspired to follow you as unreservedly as he did. We make this prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Music: Cheezy Piano Medley by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4833-cheezy-piano-medley
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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