An acquaintance and his wife took their eight children to their lake cottage. Everything went well until they were on their way home. One of the children suddenly called out, “Where’s Maria?” Sure enough, their youngest was not in the vehicle. They returned quickly to find a safe but crying little girl. Apparently, as they loaded the vehicle she had returned to a bedroom and fallen asleep. We can identify with the anxiety of the family as they returned to the cabin. To assuage his fear and probably his guilty feeling the father quipped, “I don’t feel so bad. Mary and Joseph had only one child and they lost him.”
Tuesday, March 19, we celebrated the feast of St. Joseph. The day never goes by that I don’t recall Maria and her father. The scene at the Temple pales by comparison. Mary’s list of sufferings includes this special day at the temple. We should give the same to Joseph. We often see him standing guard at the birth of Jesus or busy woodworking with his son. But there are fewer pictures of the trips he was directed to make. We are left to imagine his many sorrows and the difficulties he experienced.
Much less imagination is needed in our time. We have real pictures of the many persons who need to move. My reflection brings me to the migration crowds at the borders and the dispersed in our country and throughout the world. The homeless, those unable to pay rent, victims of natural disasters also are included. We are called to be open minded, compassionate, respectful and help where we can. May we see the face of Jesus in all we meet.