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TUESDAY, March 19
Saint Joseph

Luke 2:50. But they did not understand what he said to them.

Twelve-year-old Jesus proclaims something about himself that his parents do not yet understand. Little has changed between pre-teens and their parents in more than 2,000 years.

When I was 12, many of my teachers saw me as a model student, but at home, I felt misunderstood by my parents. As a result, I was not very nice to my parents. In fact, I was mean! Like Joseph and Mary in this story, my parents responded to me in the most non-reactive way possible. Their steadiness provided a framework for me to find a sense of understanding about myself and how I related to my family.

Today, as we remember Saint Joseph, I give thanks for how his steadiness points us toward seeing Jesus as Messiah and Savior. We have many “Josephs” in our lives: people who gently and steadily point us toward God. Today we offer thanks for them, for their acceptance and their love, but most especially for being a vehicle of God’s grace that accompanies us on our journey of life.

MOVING FORWARD: Who are some of the Josephs in your life? Reach out and thank them for their steadiness.

PRAY for the Diocese of Coventry (England)

Ps 89:1-29 or 89:1-4, 26-29 | 2 Samuel 7:4, 8-16 | Romans 4:13-18 | Luke 2:41-52