the firm of joseph and son
"Your house...shall stand firm forever." —2 Samuel 7:16
St. Joseph, the carpenter (Mt 13:55), may have helped build houses. Surely he desired for the houses he built to "stand firm forever" (2 Sm 7:16).
Jesus, Joseph's Foster-Son, was also a Carpenter (Mk 6:3). Like His foster-father, Jesus was interested in houses that stand firm. Jesus concluded His most famous discourse by saying that anyone who obeyed His words would be like the builder who built a house that would firmly withstand any disaster (Mt 7:24-25).
How firm is your spiritual house? Have you built your family's life on the rock-solid Word of God? Is your house and your life built into the Church, the house of God? (Eph 2:21-22) Is Jesus the Foundation of your life? (1 Cor 3:10-11)
Joseph the builder was a man of unshakable, firm faith. He was firm in the severe trials of his life because his faith was firm (cf Is 7:9). The Catholic Church has named St. Joseph as the patron of the universal Church. Like the Church, place your life under the protection of Joseph and Jesus. Jesus is the same now as He was when He worked side-by-side with Joseph (Heb 13:8). Jesus is still working with Joseph to build your life into a house that will last forever.
Prayer: Jesus, build me into Your house (1 Pt 2:5). I would rather be a small, unseen part of Your house than be popular (Ps 84:11).
Promise: "All depends on faith, everything is grace." —Rm 4:16
Praise: By instantly obeying God, St. Joseph successfully protected Jesus from a government-led assassination attempt (Mt 2:13-16).
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 29, 2011
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