First Reading (2Sm 7,4-5a.12-14a.16)
Reading of the Second Book of Samuel.
In those days, the Word of the Lord was addressed to Nathan in these terms: “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: When the end of your days comes and you rest with your fathers, then I will raise up a son of yours after you, and I will establish his kingship. He will be the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish his royal throne forever. I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me. Your house and your kingdom will be stable forever before me, and your throne will be firm forever'”.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Second Reading (Romans 4,13.16-18.22)
Reading of Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans.
Brothers, It was not because of the Law, but because of the righteousness that comes from faith, that God promised the world as an inheritance to Abraham or to his descendants. It is by virtue of faith that someone becomes an heir. Therefore, the condition of heir is a grace, a free gift, and God’s promise continues to be valid for all of Abraham’s descendants, both for the descendants that adhere to the Law and for those that rely solely on the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. For it is written: “I have made you a father of many peoples.” He is a father before God, because he believed in God who gives life to the dead and brings into existence what did not exist before. Against all human hope, he stood firm in hope and faith. Thus, he became the father of many peoples, as he was told: “So will your posterity be.” This attitude of faith was credited to him as justice.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Matthew 1,16.18-21.24a)
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom Jesus was born, who is called the Christ. The origin of Jesus Christ was like this: Mary, his mother, was promised in marriage to Joseph, and, before they lived together, she became pregnant by the action of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, was fair and, not wanting to denounce her, decided to abandon Mary, in secret. While Joseph was thinking about this, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said to him: “Joseph, Son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because she conceived through the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” When he woke up, Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had commanded.
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
My brothers and sisters in Christ, today I want to start with a question: what does it mean to trust God when everything seems uncertain? All of us, at some point in our lives, are faced with situations in which our plans are undone, in which what we expected does not happen, and we are forced to make difficult decisions. What do we do in these moments? Do we run away? Do we try to solve everything ourselves? Or do we give our trust to the Lord, allowing Him to guide us?
Today’s readings tell us about God’s promise, about faith and about obedience that transforms lives. At the center of this message, we find an extraordinary figure, often silent, but immensely powerful: Saint Joseph. The just man who knew how to trust God even when everything seemed uncertain.
In the first reading, we see the covenant that God made with David. The prophet Nathan receives a message from the Lord: “I will give birth to you a descendant… and I will establish your throne forever.” This promise was not just about Solomon, but it pointed to something much greater: the eternal reign of Jesus Christ. God was building a lineage, a plan of salvation that would extend to all humanity. This promise was fulfilled many centuries later, when a humble carpenter, descendant of the house of David, received a mission that would change the history of salvation.
In the second reading, Saint Paul tells us about Abraham, the father of faith, and how he believed in God’s promise even when everything seemed impossible. He and Sarah were old, unable to bear children, but Abraham did not doubt. He did not question God. On the contrary, he stood firm, and his faith was counted as righteousness. This same faith was lived by Joseph, who accepted a divine calling that defied all human logic.
And then we come to the Gospel of Matthew. Here we find one of the most memorable moments in the life of Saint Joseph. He was about to marry Mary when he discovered that she was pregnant. Imagine what happened in your heart! Like any man, Joseph must have felt confusion, pain, and perhaps even fear. But, being a just man, he decided not to expose Mary to public humiliation. He wanted to abandon her in secret, trying to deal with that situation in the most dignified way possible. However, God had other plans.
The angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream and says to him: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what was conceived in her comes from the Holy Spirit.” Here is one of the most decisive moments in the history of salvation. Joseph had a choice: follow his own plans and fears or trust God completely. He could have ignored the dream, he could have run away, but he chose faith.
Joseph teaches us a fundamental lesson: obedience to God does not always make sense to human eyes. Sometimes God asks us for something that seems difficult, even impossible, but He always gives us the grace necessary to fulfill His will. Joseph accepted the mission of being the earthly father of Jesus, of protecting Mary and of guiding the Holy Family with love and courage.
We can imagine Joseph holding Jesus in his arms for the first time. The Son of God, the Savior of the world, entrusted to him! Joseph had no wealth, he was not a powerful king, but he had something infinitely greater: complete trust in God. He shows us that true greatness is not in power or fame, but in faithfulness to God’s calling.
And now, my brothers and sisters, let us look at our own lives. How many times do we come across situations where we don’t understand God’s ways? How many times have we been tempted to give up or follow our own plans instead of waiting for divine will? José teaches us that faith is not just a beautiful feeling, but a daily decision to trust God, even when we don’t have all the answers.
Let’s think of our life as a puzzle. Every piece has a place, but when we look at just one part, it can seem confusing and meaningless. God, however, sees the whole picture. José didn’t understand everything at first, but he trusted. And because he trusted, he was part of the greatest plan of salvation in history.
If Joseph had followed his own plans, if he had said “no” to the angel, the story could have been very different. But he chose obedience, he chose to trust, and that decision transformed everything.
And us? Are we ready to trust God in this way? Are we willing to say “yes” to God’s call, even when it seems difficult?
May we learn from Saint Joseph today. May we follow his example of humility, faith and courage. And that, when facing life’s uncertainties, we can always remember that God is with us, guiding us as he guided Joseph.
May we say a prayer now, asking for the intercession of Saint Joseph:
Saint Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family, a just and faithful man, teach us to trust in God as you did. Help us to hear Your voice in the midst of our doubts and to follow Your will with courage and love. Protect our families, our decisions and our paths. Amen.
May God bless you all and may we leave here today with our hearts renewed in faith, ready to say “yes” to the divine call, just as Saint Joseph did. Amen.
