Did Saint Joseph ever give the Virgin Mary flowers? He did so this Friday, March 19, entrusting this service to the Custos of the Holy Land, Friar Pierbattista Pizzaballa.
For this latter came from Jerusalem to solemnly enter Nazareth on the feast of the Virgin’s spouse, and when he got out of his car, he was welcomed by the Franciscan guardian, Friar Ricardo Boutros, the friars of the community and of various convents in Galilee, many parishioners and several groups of pilgrims.
The procession, preceded by the scouts, took the new road from the lower basilica to go to the church dedicated to Saint Joseph, where the Custos presided over the Mass, accompanied by some twenty priests, including the parish priest, Friar Amjad Sabbara. “The world is urgently in need of people who know how to listen. Joseph is the model of the person who knew how to listen, and this makes him a model father and spouse,” as Father Amjad said in his homily. And he continued: “Only the person who knows how to listen can give a true and objective answer, an appropriate answer. Saint Joseph did not speak; rather he listened to his Son and to his wife, and thus, at every stage in the life of the Holy Family, he knew how to respond to the Lord’s project.”
Mass was celebrated in Arabic and animated by beautiful songs that were interpreted by the parish choir. But it was in a sense guided by the silence of Saint Joseph, who again led the whole assembly in a torch procession to the Grotto of the Annunciation.
In front of the grotto, the deacon read the gospel of the Annunciation. The Custos had placed on the altar the icon of Saint Joseph, the man of the house of David to whom was given in marriage a young woman, a virgin, whose name was Mary.
After the gospel, the Custos of the Holy Family led the Custos of the Holy Land into the grotto, where Friar Pierbattista read a beautiful prayer, entrusting the Franciscan Order and the friars of the Custody to the Lord through the intercession of the Holy Family.
Saint Joseph is still in love with his wife. On his feast day, the righteous man once again moved aside in order to invite us to enter into the mystery of the Annunciation and in turn to take Mary to our home, as the city will celebrate with joy in a week’s time.
Mab
For this latter came from Jerusalem to solemnly enter Nazareth on the feast of the Virgin’s spouse, and when he got out of his car, he was welcomed by the Franciscan guardian, Friar Ricardo Boutros, the friars of the community and of various convents in Galilee, many parishioners and several groups of pilgrims.
The procession, preceded by the scouts, took the new road from the lower basilica to go to the church dedicated to Saint Joseph, where the Custos presided over the Mass, accompanied by some twenty priests, including the parish priest, Friar Amjad Sabbara. “The world is urgently in need of people who know how to listen. Joseph is the model of the person who knew how to listen, and this makes him a model father and spouse,” as Father Amjad said in his homily. And he continued: “Only the person who knows how to listen can give a true and objective answer, an appropriate answer. Saint Joseph did not speak; rather he listened to his Son and to his wife, and thus, at every stage in the life of the Holy Family, he knew how to respond to the Lord’s project.”
Mass was celebrated in Arabic and animated by beautiful songs that were interpreted by the parish choir. But it was in a sense guided by the silence of Saint Joseph, who again led the whole assembly in a torch procession to the Grotto of the Annunciation.
In front of the grotto, the deacon read the gospel of the Annunciation. The Custos had placed on the altar the icon of Saint Joseph, the man of the house of David to whom was given in marriage a young woman, a virgin, whose name was Mary.
After the gospel, the Custos of the Holy Family led the Custos of the Holy Land into the grotto, where Friar Pierbattista read a beautiful prayer, entrusting the Franciscan Order and the friars of the Custody to the Lord through the intercession of the Holy Family.
Saint Joseph is still in love with his wife. On his feast day, the righteous man once again moved aside in order to invite us to enter into the mystery of the Annunciation and in turn to take Mary to our home, as the city will celebrate with joy in a week’s time.
Mab