FIAMC Advent Message
My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Last week when I was participating in a mission to Cambodia, while standing in the hall of the Don Bosco Teuk Thla school, my gaze was transfixed on the Nativity set. As the angelic voices of the choir wafted down and enveloped me, I was filled with a sense of happiness and tranquillity. I was transported back to the first Christmas in Bethlehem. Looking at the Holy Family in the stable, I felt that there could not be a more perfect depiction of God’s plan for redemption.
As my mind wonder, I began to contemplate the role of St Joseph. Was he a peripheral figure, an irrelevant bystander or did he have a central role to play in the life of Jesus? Would Christmas be the same if we removed St Joseph from the Nativity scene. Somehow the image of the birth of Christ becomes less perfect without the presence of the Virgin Mary and St Joseph. It suddenly dawned on me with blinding clarity that God in his perfect plan of redemption purposely gave us the Holy Family as the model for all families. Without the participation of Mary and Joseph the Nativity scene would be somewhat diminished.
Beyond dispute the central event in the celebration of Christmas is the birth of Jesus the son of God. The role of our blessed Mother in the plan of salvation is also evident. However the part that St Joseph play is less well understood. In the apostolic exhortation, Redemptoris Custos (Guardian of the Redeemer), St John Paul II discusses the importance of St Joseph in the Holy Family and his role in the plan of redemption. He said, ”Together with Mary, Joseph is the first guardian of this divine mystery. Together with Mary, and in relation to Mary, he shares in the final phase of God’s self-revelation in Christ and he does so from the very beginning”. “The Gospels clearly describe the fatherly responsibility of Joseph toward Jesus. For salvation which comes through the humanity of Jesus is realised in actions which are an everyday part of family life…..All of the so-called private or hidden life of Jesus is entrusted to Joseph’s guardianship”.
The Church venerates the Holy family and proposes it to be the model of all families. In this family, Joseph’s fatherhood is not derive from begetting offspring, but neither is it merely a “substitute” fatherhood but is one that fully shares in authentic fatherhood and the mission of a father in a family.
This Christmas let us pray especially for the protection of St Joseph on all families especially at a time where the concept of the traditional family is under threat.
On behalf of the FIAMC Presidency, I would like to wish you and your families a blessed Christmas filled with the peace and joy of Christ.
Thank you and God bless,
John Lee President, FIAMC
