In every person’s life, there are people who come and who go. Some stay for a long, long time. Others only for a while. Yet there are people who, although only stayed for a while, have made an impact on our lives that last forever.

In the life of Jesus, this would be his foster father – Joseph, whose feast we celebrate during the year – the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Why did he make such a great impact on the life of Jesus? Three reflections:

1. How he trusts God’s mysterious ways: When he found that Mary was pregnant and he was not the father, he wanted to divorce her quietly instead of having Mary stoned to death. Yet, he trusted God when the angel told Joseph to take Mary in your home.
2. Like any father, he protected Mary and Jesus. When Herod found out that the wise men did not return, he ordered that all the male babies through 2 years old be killed. Joseph, brought Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. 
3. Like father, like son. Jesus was known as a carpenter, which was the profession of St. Joseph. If Jesus was a just man, it would not have been a surprise because Joseph himself was a just man. If Jesus trusted His Father, it was also because Joseph trusted God.

We know that God has a plan for us. This plan can be difficult and illogical. Yet, we ask the intercession of St. Joseph that we can be more trusting of God’s plan for us.