*DAILY LENTEN CHEWING STICK FOR 19TH MARCH 2022: SOLEMNITY OF ST. JOSEPH, HUSBAND OF MARY(2 Sam 7:4-5,12-14,16, Rom,4:13,16-18,22; Mt 1:16, 18-21,24).*
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
On this special day of ST. JOSEPH, A JUST MAN, THE HUSBAND OF MARY, THE FOSTER FATHER OF JESUS, THE HEAD OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF NAZARETH; WE SAY SPECIAL GOOD MORNING TO ALL OUR FATHERS, DADDIES, CMOs, MEN; THE JOSEPHS OF OUR TIME! WE LOVE YOU ALL! CONTINUE TO BE THE BEST FATHERS IN THE WORLD!
Let us sing to our Fathers’ honour:
Sweet Fathers, we no go forget you, for the suffer wey una suffer for us ooo, if we no chop, our fathers no dey chop, if we no sleep, our fathers no dey sleep,…etc!
(Women just don’t say anything oooo, our Fathers too no dey sleep. Even if they sleep, them no dey sleep too deep๐๐ปโโ๏ธ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ).
If you love your Father or husband, say a short prayer for him and show him some love….maybe buy him something no matter how small today.
For us whose Fathers have kicked the bucket, say One Our Father, One Hail Mary and One Glory be for their happy repose. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE, AMEN!
Dearly Beloved in Christ, HAPPY SOLEMNITY OF SAINT JOSEPH TO ALL AND SUNDRY. To all whose names are JOSEPH and JOSEPHINE, whose parishes are ST. JOSEPH, congratulations and Happy FEAST DAY.
SAINT JOSEPH is one of those PRIVILEGED Saints we celebrate TWICE in a year. We celebrate him every 19th of March as HUSBAND OF MARY and 1st of May as ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER.
Today, we celebrate him under the first heading and we shall BEAM OUR SEARCH LIGHT ON ALL OUR MEN, HUSBANDS AND FATHERS (I come in peace ooo).
Just like we always encourage OUR WOMEN, WIVES AND MOTHERS to emulate the HUMILITY, OBEDIENCE & LOVE OF OUR BLESSED MOTHER MARY; we want to also encourage our DADDIES to take after the VIRTUES OF SAINT JOSEPH.
Brethren, do you remember that the FIRST JOYFUL MYSTERY IS THE ANNUNCIATION? Angel Gabriel brought the GOOD NEWS to Mary(Lk 1:26-38). There was also another ANNUNCIATION, from the same Angel Gabriel to Joseph(as contained in our Gospel today).
MARY and JOSEPH were engaged to be married.
But before they came to live together she was found to be with child (PREGNANT) through the Holy Spirit.
THIS WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR MARY. HOW WAS SHE GOING TO EXPLAIN THIS TO JOSEPH? WHO HAS IT EVER HAPPENED TO? WHEN DID HOLY SPIRIT START PUTTING WOMEN IN A FAMILY WAY? WILL JOSEPH NOT FEEL BETRAYED AND DISAPPOINTED? When Joseph was finally told, BEING A MAN OF HONOUR and wanting to SPARE HER PUBLICITY, decided to divorce her informally. Then the Angel appeared and made the ANNUNCIATION.
Brethren, we all know what JEALOUSY is and some of its negative effects like we saw in our first reading of YESTERDAY HOW THE BROTHERS OF JOSEPH DEALT WITH HIM AS A RESULT OF JEALOUSY. Jealousy has wrecked and divided FRIENDSHIPS/RELATIONSHIPS/MARRIAGES.
Jealousy has made people pour ACID on their LOVERS AND REDESIGNED THEIR GOD GIVEN LOOKS. Jealousy has made lovers/ husbands loose their temper and do unimaginable/unthinkable things.
IF ONLY WE CAN LEARN FROM JOSEPH HOW TO MANAGE OUR EMOTIONS, OUR ANGER/TEMPERAMENT EVEN WHEN THE WORST SEEMS TO HAVE HAPPENED, OUR WORLD WOULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.
I once asked all the Married Men in the Church to stand up during my homily, I asked them: IF YOU RETURN FROM A JOURNEY AND DISCOVER YOUR WIFE IS PREGNANT AND YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE, AND WHEN YOU ASK HER, SHE SAYS THE HOLY SPIRIT IS RESPONSIBLE. WHAT WILL YOU DO? Hmmmmm! O boy come and see where men ‘dey provoke ooo’! One said, he will ask her to go and bring the HOLY SPIRIT.
Another said, he will call the elders of the community to report, but before then he will give her the beating of her life.
Yet another said in annoyance, I WILL SEND HER PACKING!
Dear Friends in Christ, much may not have been said about Joseph in the Scriptures, but from the little said, WE HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN FROM HIM ESPECIALLY OUR MEN, HUSBANDS AND FATHERS.
(1)JOSEPH was A MAN OF HONOUR AND FAMILY MAN.
(2) JOSEPH was A MAN OF FAITH.
How many of our MEN are really MEN OF HONOUR today?
When Joseph found out about the PREGNANCY BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, rather than shout and scream, beat the hell out of her beginning with A *”BIANCALISTIC SLAP”* TO RESET HER BRAIN, then flexing your muscles to show your superiority by INVADING, DESTROYING, PUNCHING AND THROWING HER AND HER BELONGINGS OUTSIDE, MAKING HER A REFUGEE AND ATTRACTING THE ATTENTION OF NEIGHBOURS AS PER *”PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN”* OF YOUR FAMILY THAT YOU ARE.
And of course instead of calling her all sorts of names like “Prostitute”, “Dog”, “Ashawo”, “Whore”, “Cheap Article”, “Kezaya”, etc; he rather wanted to SPARE HER PUBLICITY AND DIVORCE HER INFORMALLY. That is an act of HONOUR! Respect for the woman’s sense of human dignity and pride.
Dear Husband, do you know that YOU AND YOUR WIFE are not TWO but ONE? So, respecting her is respecting yourself and embarrassing her is embarrassing yourself AND WASHING YOUR DIRTY LINENS OUTSIDE.
As a HUSBAND, are you in the habit of screaming, shouting and insulting your wife in the presence of your children and even outsiders? If Yes, WHERE LIES YOUR HONOUR?
Are you in the habit of beating up your wife? WHERE LIES YOUR HONOUR?
Are you in the habit of discussing the weakness of your wife to people outside and ALWAYS calling her people, friends and NEIGHBOURS to tell them SHE HAS DONE IT AGAIN OOO? WHERE LIES YOUR DIGNITY?
Are you in the habit of talking to other women, womanizing, going to clubs and coming back home 11pm or 1am; and yet, when you see your wife standing and discussing with another man or she comes home at 7pm YOU WANT TO KILL HER AND EMBARRASS HER? WHERE LIES YOUR HONOUR?
MORE SO, JOSEPH AS A FAMILY MAN CARED AND GAVE PRIORITY AND ATTENTION TO HIS FAMILY.
ARE YOU IN THE HABIT OF GIVING MORE ATTENTION TO YOUR PHONES, CONCUBINES, FRIENDS AT THE BEER PARLOUR THAN YOUR WIFE AND CHILDREN AND OTHER IMPORTANT FAMILY CONCERNS?
WHERE LIES YOUR HONOUR IF NOT IN YOUR FAMILY AS A HAPPY AND UNITED FAMILY TAKING AFTER THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH?
ST. JOSEPH DID NOT DO ALL THESE, HE RATHER WANTED PEACE AND SENSE OF HUMAN DIGNITY TO BE RESPECTED AND PRACTISED IN HIS HOME.
Again, JOSEPH was A MAN OF FAITH who listened to the voice of the ANGEL.
Dear HUSBANDS, do you believe in God? Do you read your scriptures? When issues arise in your marriage just as it happens in every marriage, and maybe your PRIEST OR PASTOR invites you over for A RECONCILIATION AND PEACE TALK, do you go? Joseph did not prove bigger than the Angel, he listened and Peace RETURNED TO HIS HOME.
My Dear People of God, Joseph was the best adoptive, legal, putative, foster father that JESUS could have asked for. He was caring to Jesus, he looked for him when at 12 years old he was missing, before been found in the temple; protected him from the danger of death in the hands of Herod the Destroyer; he taught Jesus his carpentry trade, etc!
Our beloved PAPAS, please learn to give the best attention, love, care, education to your children. By so doing, you are investing in your current account for your future(Old age) use.
May God bless all our FATHERS, HUSBANDS AND DADDIES. AMEN!
May God also bless our MOTHERS, WIVES AND MUMMIES and make them always obedient and respectful to their HUSBANDS. Amen.
MAY ST. JOSEPH INTERCEEDE FOR US ALL. AMEN.
ST. JOSEPH, THE HUSBAND OF MARY, PRAY FOR US.
Rev. Fr. Francis Uchechukwu Onugha
(Fada Kosi Much)
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