St. Joseph at Christmas

In the Gospel of Matthew (Mt. 2: 18-25) for the last Sunday of Advent God’s plan for our salvation is at a pivotal moment. Mary is facing a grim future--she was found to be with child. In the Jewish law of the time she and the child could have been stoned or shunned for the rest of their lives, forced to live on the margins in poverty and destitution

At this point God’s plan for salvation depends upon Joseph. And what do we know of Joseph? Joseph is called a righteous man, a carpenter by trade.  He was of the lineage of David through Abraham. He was from Nazareth in Galilee. He was betrothed to Mary.

For a man who is pivotal to our salvation, he is remarkably quiet; he says nothing in Scripture. Basically, that’s all we ever know about Joseph. Except …that he has dreams to which he pays attention, dreams that he interprets as a man of righteousness and relationships as the voice of God breaking into his life.

In the first dream an angel appears and tells him what to do.  Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. It is a righteous thing. You are of the house of David. The Child has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son. You will name him Jesus because he is coming to save his people, your people. from their sins.  This will fulfill the prophecy by Isaiah in which a savior will come,  Emmanuel which means God is with us.

This Gospel has been called the Annunciation to Joseph but Joseph does not get to ask a question or dialogue with the angel. He wakes up and does what the angel tells him to do which is, in essence, extending protection to Mary and the child to be born. The rest of his three his dreams go the same way. In all of them he is told to protect Mary and the child.

Because Joseph says nothing in the Scriptures, it is tempting to assign him our own thoughts and words. And we do. Pope Francis says, “I have a great love for Joseph because he is a man of silence and strength.” Francis continues, “Joseph is a ‘protector’ because he is able to hear God’s  voice and be guided by God’s will; protecting, demands goodness, it calls for a certain tenderness.  In the Gospels, Saint Joseph appears as a strong and courageous man, yet in his heart we see great tenderness, which is not the virtue of the weak but rather a sign of strength of spirit and a capacity for concern, for compassion, for genuine openness to others, for love. We must not be afraid of goodness, of tenderness!”

What about our own tenderness and strength? As I was working on this, I had been reading about the impeachment and other political and social news of the day. Tenderness is not in vogue in our society today. Tenderness is a fragile thing. For myself, I can let my ego, judgementalism and inattention to God’s voice get in the way of engaging my tenderness.

As we celebrate Christmas this year of 2019, a year of political and social division, a year of anger and rage, where is our tenderness engaged? During this Christmas season, as we pray for protection from all evil, where is the spirit of the silent, protective, tender Joseph in our lives?

Sr. Deborah Harmeling, OSB

Do You Have a CC?

            I’ve had a CC now for two years or so. It’s the name I chose for my cane: Constant Companion. At times, when I have a short distance to go, for example from one part of a room to another part, I go without it. It’s more daring to go from one room to another room – then realize I don’t have it! Where was I last? Where did I leave it? St. Anthony, help me find my CC – again!

             After a while, I came to a new realization: I’ve always had a CC – all my life, whose name is Jesus. How much better to live with Him in mind, to know that this need is so much stronger than a cane!

            In addition to a guardian angel, I walk with Jesus at my side. He prays with me, as we glorify and thank our Father together for a pretty day, a much-needed rainfall, a safe trip out and back again, healing for a member of my family or anyone else. He’s at my side in the presence of the other Sisters at mealtime, at Mass, and Liturgy of the Hours; in the students I teach, in the kind and considerate co-workers at school. I know His healing presence in those who care for me in the infirmary, and in the doctors that I see.

            Sometimes He is asking me to be patient with others, and with myself, sometimes to share a splinter from His cross. I hear His word proclaimed in liturgy with a message of love, sometimes chastisement, sometimes consolation and hope, especially now in the Advent season. We look forward to celebrate His first coming on Christmas, but in the meantime, Jesus sneaks up on us in so many surprising ways. After all, He said, “Be ready; you don’t know the day or the hour.”

            So now, CC is a reminder of my Constant Companion who is Jesus, always and everywhere. I dare not leave Him behind, for then I truly cannot walk to reach eternal life in His kingdom.

                        Sr. Mary Carol Hellmann, OSB

Airport Awakening

Among the many themes of Advent are longing and patient waiting for a deeper relationship with Christ. My Advent began early. Two incidents occurred, within a month of each other. Both involved patience and waiting at the airport; a ten hour and six-hour delay. Both meant the scheduled evening meetings had to be cancelled. Both occurred at a Chicago airport while trying to connect to flights that offer few connecting ones to my final destination. In both instances I missed the connection only by a matter of minutes – but not for lack of trying! Airport congestion, not weather was the common theme causing delays.

Deep breathing has become my friend. Putting things in perspective becomes even a better friend. Repeating to myself, “In the light of eternity will waiting an extra ten hours matter at all?“ Of course not.

In truthfulness, I did not take the opportunity to consider all the types of waiting one does in life while I was sitting in the airport. I mostly fretted.  Since then, though, I have been considering this event in light of the Advent theme concerning the varieties of waiting that occur in a person’s life.

 There is the anticipatory joy filled waiting: a birth of a new baby, celebrating Christmas with family and friends, an approaching graduation, a wedding. Then there are difficult sometimes anguished waiting: families praying and waiting for sons and daughters in the military, some of whom are serving in dangerous areas, to return home; waiting at the bedside of a dying family member; refugees and immigrants waiting to cross into lands that offer hope and promise; or the out-of-work person waiting for a call back saying she is hired; or the distress of waiting for the results of a biopsy. 

All of these and so many more are real moments of waiting. As we await the Promised One, let us put aside anxiety and long together for the Spirit of God that lives among us today.

Even long delays have potential to awaken. A ten-hour wait in the airport can strengthen empathy and connection with others. Due to my human frailty, however, in the future I will plan to find connecting flights through another airport!

Sr. Aileen Bankemper, OSB

An Advent Moment (in Chapel)

In this quiet moment,

In your space, God,

Inspire us with your spirit,

open in us your Word.

Grace us with a glimpse of your presence:

 soundless, surrounding, enfolding -

an unexpected lighting of dawning darkness.

It is late.  You urge us forth, to seek you other-where.

For how can we know you truly, except in touching sister and brother?

                                   Come, Lord Jesus, come!

       Sr. Sharon Portwood, OSB