Pope Benedict on Saint Joseph

As I sat down to prepare my homily this morning for the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary (and my Name Day), I wondered what I might say about my powerful patron that I hadn't already said in previous homilies.

When preaching on Mary, or one of the other more popular saints, material that sparks a homily is abundant, but when it comes to Joseph there seems to be precious little material to be had.

I then decided to a look at what Pope Benedict XVI said at Mass in Cameroon and I'm glad I did.

The homily he preached for the Solemnity is another excellent example of why everyone should read his homilies. It is a beautiful homily and well worth a read. Just consider this:

We are all members of the peoples that God gave to Abraham as his descendants. Each and every one of us was thought, willed and loved by God. Each and every one of us has a role to play in the plan of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If discouragement overwhelms you, think of the faith of Joseph; if anxiety has its grip on you, think of the hope of Joseph, that descendant of Abraham who hoped against hope; if exasperation or hatred seizes you, think of the love of Joseph, who was the first man to set eyes on the human face of God in the person of the Infant conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Let us praise and thank Christ for having drawn so close to us, and for giving us Joseph as an example and model of love for him.