Continuing catechesis on ‘Jesus Christ, our hope’, Francis highlights figure of St. Joseph as a ‘just man’.
Vatican City (03/02/2025 20:00, Gaudium Press) On Wednesday morning, 29 January, during the General Audience held in the Paul VI Hall, Pope Francis continued the jubilee cycle of catechesis on ‘Jesus Christ, Our Hope’. Delving into the story of the Saviour’s childhood, the Pontiff highlighted the figure of St. Joseph as a ‘just man’.
St. Joseph’s great trial
Referring to the Gospel passage in which St. Joseph is presented as Mary’s betrothed, the Pope explained that, according to Hebrew tradition, during the betrothal, the woman moved from her father’s house to her husband’s and became ready for the gift of motherhood. It was precisely during this period that St. Joseph learnt of Mary’s pregnancy, which put him through a great trial.
Faced with the difficult situation he was going through, St. Joseph, a just man and faithful to the Law of the Lord, did not allow himself be carried away by impulses or fears, deciding to separate from Our Lady quietly and in secret. ‘His wisdom allowed him not to make mistakes and to be open and docile to the voice of the Lord,’ he emphasized.
What does Joseph of Nazareth dream about?
Recalling that Saint Joseph received an important message from God through a dream, Francis asked: ‘What does Joseph of Nazareth dream about?’, and then replied: ‘He dreams about the miracle that God performs in Mary’s life, and also about the miracle that he performs in his own life: taking on a fatherhood capable of guarding, protecting and passing on a material and spiritual inheritance’.
Our Lady’s womb carried God’s promise that would guarantee salvation for all. That promise was Jesus. In his dream, St. Joseph heard the Angel’s message: ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary to wife, for what has been conceived in her comes from the Holy Spirit. ‘Faced with this revelation, Joseph asked for no more proof, he trusted in God, he accepted God’s dream for his life and that of his promised wife. Thus, he enters into the grace of those who know how to live the divine promise with Faith, Hope and Love.’
The silent faith of St. Joseph
St. Joseph didn’t utter a single word, demonstrating his faith through his attitudes. Putting God’s Word into practice, Jesus’ adoptive father translated it into deeds, into flesh, into life. Concluding his catechesis, the Pontiff urged the faithful to follow the example of St. Joseph, cultivating the silence that listens to and obeys the Word of God.
‘Sisters and brothers, let us also ask the Lord for the grace to listen more than we speak, to dream God’s dreams and to welcome with responsibility the Christ who, from the moment of baptism, lives and grows in our lives,’ Pope Francis concluded. (EPC)
Compiled by Sandra Chisholm
