March 19, 2026
Saint Joseph
Fr. Wojciech Boloz
"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid"
Peace and good.
I am Fr. Wojciech Bołoz, Custos of the Basilica of the Annunciation and of the Church of Saint Joseph, that is, of the Holy Family, in Nazareth.
Nazareth, a small city of Galilee, is known above all for the mystery of the Annunciation. Few, however, realize that Nazareth also preserves other mysteries of God’s work and of the response, or of the attitude, of man before the revelation of His salvific will.
In this place, for thirty years, the Holy Family of Nazareth lived, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the putative father of our Savior. In this family the promises made to David are fulfilled, cf. 2Sam 7. From his lineage is born the Messiah, the Savior, the King and the Prophet who will restore the Kingdom of God, redeem the oppressed people and lead them toward consecration to God. This Messiah, God made man, Jesus, grows and learns under the guidance of Joseph, following his example.
Who is Joseph? What qualities does he possess that God chose him precisely to take care of His Son?
Saint Joseph, according to the genealogy presented by the evangelist Matthew, is also, like Mary, of Davidic descent, therefore a son of the promise.
The Gospel describes this man as "just", that is, God fearing, pious, observant of God’s law. On the one hand he lives deeply the listening and openness to the Word of God, on the other hand the numerous religious prescriptions can at times obscure the image of God, risking enclosing Him within the limits of human understanding. God, however, does not resign Himself before the limits of man. He enters into relationship with Joseph, and this relationship is realized in the encounter between the docility and love of God and the humility and availability of man.
The availability, the humility and the obedience of Joseph allow him to draw, from the intimate relationship with God, the love of the Father. These are precisely the qualities that God wanted His eternal Son to learn from His putative father, living in the house of Nazareth.
Joseph finds Mary, his promised spouse, pregnant by the work of the Holy Spirit. What turmoil must this fact have stirred in him? What inner struggles will he have experienced before a reality humanly incomprehensible?
The call of God often arouses these feelings, fear, concern, uncertainty and the doubt of one’s own strength before the future. The experience of Joseph is not isolated. Mary also asks the angel, "How will this happen?" Lk 1,34.
God, however, responds to doubts and always supports those whom He calls to a particular mission, often precisely in difficult and uncertain times. He speaks to Joseph in a dream, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid". Have faith, because what you will live and experience is the work of the Holy Spirit, it is the work of God.
In these words echo many stories of men called and chosen by God. Let us think, for example, of Gideon, who did not feel worthy nor strong enough for the mission entrusted to him. But God reassures him, "Go with this your strength and save Israel from the hand of Midian, do I not send you?" cf. Gdc 6,14.
Also the words addressed to Saint Paul confirm the same truth, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" 2 Cor 12,9.
God knows the heart of man completely and never entrusts unbearable tasks. He calls each one of us to a particular mission, always great in His eyes and important for the good of others and for our salvation.
We must only have an attitude of humility and availability to discover the will of God, accept it and make it our own. Before the mission entrusted to us we must not be afraid, even if times are uncertain and people sometimes hostile. God knows our strength and His grace makes it sufficient.
Let us then place ourselves at the school of Saint Joseph. Let us awaken from the sleep of fear that immobilizes us and prevents us from acting. Let us guard the Kingdom of God by guarding in our life Jesus, who makes Himself present and is incarnated in our heart through the Eucharist.
We greet you from the Holy Land, thirsty for justice and peace. May the Lord, King of peace, make His words resound in our hearts, "Do not be afraid, I am with you".
