Christmas Journey with St Joseph

​It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…
 
Ask any child what Christmas is about and undeniably, for each child, it is all about the gifts they are so eager to receive. People often say that Christmas is just for children. Do you agree? Well, I tend to agree on that point, in fact.  Christmas is definitely a time for the children of God to await for that wonderful gift of our Lord. But as God’s children, we don’t just wait like everyone else, we prepare ourselves for the Savior’s coming in advent and with hopeful expectation! What better way then to start this season of Advent than seek the help of St Joseph? 
 
Fr. James McTavish took us on a Christmas Journey with St Joseph which proved to be such a wonderful ADVENTure… haha. For many, it was quite an eye opener on the pivotal role of St Joseph in salvation history. For others who already had a true devotion and even did their consecration to him, they found this recollection an opportunity to deepen further on this spirituality. The brand-new song “Go To Joseph” with lyrics written by Fr James and music composed by Jay-ann Desabelle set the scene of the journey. The tune was not only catchy but the words themselves caught everyone’s attention as the song embodied the very nature of Joseph. The invite of famous saints, St John of the Cross and St Teresa de Avila, also left the participants the desire to personally know St. Joseph more. Learning the significance of how Joseph was a “just” man in following the will of God and the intimate connection of this silence was with inner peace was a “eureka” moment for some.  
 
Bimbo Abrio, a Verbum Dei missionary couple with wife Cookie from Cagayan de Oro, continued the journey for us.  He gave us quite an insightful talk which was touching yet with some elements of humor. He effectively highlighted three key virtues of St Joseph - Prayerfulness, Selflessness and Responsiveness. He was able to impart these attributes and related how these have shaped his role as a spouse and father to his four children. Joseph’s quick and positive response to action was definitely something for all of us to emulate. There was no account of any spoken word by our dear St Joseph but his actions definitely spoke for themselves.
 
As we bring 2020 to a close, let us “Go to Joseph” and ask him to teach us to respond to God’s call, so we too, from our slumber can “get up” each day given to us from whatever reality we are in and bring Jesus and His mother Mary everywhere we go in this journey of life. 

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With thanks to Emy Abaya and the WordNews team