Behind every Successful Child is a Powerful Father.

Homily for March 20, 2017.

The role of a Father in the proper upbringing of a child is unquantifiable. In fact, it is from a Father Figure that a child first learns to form a concept of God in his/her mind. Take away the father and you get a child deprived of something very essential to growth.

In God’s plan of salvation for mankind, it was his will that his Jesus Christ would have a Father. Since Jesus was coming into the world as a man, he too needed a man to play that role of a Father and there was no other person more fitting for this than Joseph, the just man.

In today’s first reading, we hear the prophet Nathan being instructed by God to tell David: “For when you die, I will raise up one of your descendants… and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

Though, David himself must have understood this prophecy as referring to his son Solomon, it was actually a prophecy about Jesus Christ. This is because Solomon’s kingdom did not last forever, but only the kingdom of Jesus remains forever.

Today, we celebrate Joseph who did the impossible by accepting to marry Mary in her condition. What is so striking about Joseph is that he never wanted to disgrace Mary publicly and he did not doubt what the Angel said about the source of her pregnancy.

His ability to believe even if it might not have made sense to him made him a copy of Abraham who also believed the impossible. And as St. Paul says in the second reading, “his faith was reckoned to him as righteousness.”

Every child needs a father. A father is not necessarily one who donates sperm but one who is there for the moral, physical and psychological development of the child; one who provides, protects, instructs and shows good example.

Take away Joseph and Jesus might have just been a wayward child. Behind every successful child is a Powerful Father and in Joseph, we see a father per excellence.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may St. Joseph inspire Fathers to give their best always. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Blessed Virgin Mary. Bible Study: 2 Samuel 7:4-16, Romans 4:13-22 and Matthew 1:16-24).

Fr. Abu.