March 19, 2021

St. Joseph

Trusting partners in the work of the Lord

We flash back to the Annunciation story today when Joseph drifts off into his slumbering fear and shame. But God wakes Joseph up to his heart of love and compassion, helping him to step into his life of partnership, loving father, and holy family.

Fear and shame can confuse us and put us to sleep. Unable to see or hold, hear or know the new life in God, we can drift away. But the voice of love and compassion wants to speak to our hearts. God, who calls out to us in the night, wants us as trusting partners, to share and receive the coming of joy and the birth of new life. 

What can draw me into a spiritual nighttime or slumber?

How do I sense my heart waking up to my love and compassion?

—Carla Orlando coordinates Spiritual Direction Services for the Ignatian Spirituality Center in Seattle.

Prayer

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am
following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to love as Christ loved does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore, I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. 

—Thomas Merton