I awoke this morning to this blinding flash of the obvious: I am a follower, not a leader. I seek not to know higher truth so that I can lead others for or to the Lord...that is not my way. Mine is the way of Joseph, the last named, the cleanup crew, the holder of the Cup...that is mine...thank you.
I often admit I know little and less than that about the Bible....Holy Writ as written is way over my head, and I let it be. I studied the main stories in catechetical class...and long ago made the truths I learned then my own. So, here's my take on the Christmas story:
Of the three, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I have long held that Joseph had the purest practical faith. Jesus, of course, being Top Dog, Mary being above human touch, Joseph gets to walk it...he gets the fiancé who, I'm guessing, never let him so much as kiss her, who comes to him and tells him she is pregnant...and by The Lord...and he believes her.
He lives his belief by becoming her on-earth caretaker...her husband, in a word. Since we're going by my take, that has got to be faith, trust and love, pure and shining.
That is what makes my morning BFO so comforting...mine is the way of Joseph, the walker of the Word not just the talker. We walk behind to aid the halt, the lame, the elderly...our own self, getting by giving help to others when needed.
Every master's lesson, every parable or spiritual riddle, every confounding question is intended to bring up the limitations of our own wisdom, our own power, our own tiny self. -- Fr Richard's Daily Meditation, May 24, 2016
Thank you.
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