Joseph's Cradle

Ave Maria! As we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family today, I am reminded of a phrase that my late husband Peter and I would share when life threw us a curve ball. St. Joseph was a just man, according to the Bible. Yet even a just man must feel some reaction to God's curve balls. Betrothed to Mary, but before they lived together, Joseph is confronted with his wife-to-be "with child". With the help of an angel in a dream, Joseph accepts the fact that his family life will be highly unusual. So he and Mary prepare for the birth of the Savior of the world. Being a carpenter, I imagine Joseph crafted a most beautiful, well-built cradle for Jesus. Curve ball #2: Joseph and Mary must travel to Bethlehem just as the time for the baby's arrival approaches. No way to carry a sturdy cradle. The Scripture tells us that they placed Jesus in a manger, the eating trough for the animals housed in the stable or cave where the Nativity took place. Sure, all of us know the story. We have Nativity sets in our homes which depict the holy scene. Our hymns and carols tell us that the night was holy, silent, calm and bright. Joseph had to accept God's plan anew and step into his role as protector and provider without the work of his hands which he no doubt had produced. Curve ball #3: for the safety of the child, the Holy Family must flee into Egypt and remain there as refugees until God sends a message to return. By the time the angel alerts Joseph in a dream that they may return to Nazareth, a cradle is too small for a growing child Jesus. It is the product of an act of love and faith that is never actually used as intended.

Sometimes God sends us curve balls, and without the benefit of knowing how the story is supposed to go, we feel disturbed and upset by changes of plans, our plans, not necessarily God's plans. If only we had little ceramic Nativity sets for our lives, to reassure us that being born in the animal shelter is perfect. But we don't. All we have are God's promises to us, promises of His love for us. If God Incarnate being born in a manger is perfect, why am I so distraught over God's curve balls? My plans are just Joseph's Cradle, well-intended, made with love and faith and the best use of my talents, but sometimes not in God's plans.

I have been working hard to produce the first prototype of the product I hope will help finance the Our Lady and St. Nicholas Project. I am also determined to return all the returnable bottles and cans so I can report on the penny tally. I will continue these efforts with faith and love until such time as a curve ball reveals them as Joseph's Cradle. But perhaps they will be in God's Plan after all.

I have added the Child Jesus to the patrons of this effort. I am working on a combined chaplet to the Child Jesus, Our Lady and St. Nicholas. Have also located the O Antiphons in Latin. And I have more reflections on the stable to share. So more blog coming soon.

Divine Child Jesus, bless and protect us! Our Lady of Good Remedy and St. Nicholas, pray for us!