Some of the Salt + Light team were in the Holy Land on pilgrimage. We were preparing something special for you to watch in the near future. Stay tuned! In the meantime, here is the text of a reflection on Jesus’ earthly father, St. Joseph.

My name is Madonna Lee, Chinese Marketing Manager for Salt + Light Catholic Media Foundation. I now stand before you in front of St. Joseph's Church in Nazareth. From here I will enter into the life of St. Joseph... 

How is it that a carpenter can afford to raise a family? So many rich and powerful families in history have come and gone..and they've been forgotten.  But there is one carpenter whose family is everlasting - we call them the Holy Family. And the carpenter's name? Joseph.  

Before marrying Mother Mary, Joseph was a simple carpenter.  A working class man without any education. His profession was not even admirable in the eyes of others.

“Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” (Luke 4:22)

You are absolutely right… you just don’t have any mercy

And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. (Matthew 1)

He did his best not to allow anyone, even sinners, to be hurt or insulted in public (imagine a women becoming pregnant before marriage!), and God took him a step further and helped him love even more!

An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20)

What an incredible task to be trusted with, full of responsibility, too complex to understand … but Joseph said yes it without asking for clarifications and even proof.  A simple heart, obedient, and trusting of God. A heart full of mercy can go beyond laws and doctrines, and bring us closer to seeing God’s will and love. Children are blessing, not burden!

And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt (Matthew 2:14)

He undertook so many roles throughout his life in different stages. But the most important role of all made Joseph a 'righteous man' in God's eyes, which will be printed in the bible forever. 

In his life, I see a noble and humble man, a gentle and respectful husband, a caring and protective father, and most of all, a righteous man. 

-- Madonna Lee is the Chinese Marketing Manager for Salt + Light.