March 19, 2021

My Journey to God

On This Day, O Beloved Spouse

O beloved, cherished spouse!
I sing a song of thanks to God
For so loving, so devoted a husband,
For so godly a man to help me raise
The very Son of God.

Each day you rose early in the morning
From a night of divinely dreaming.
You gave to God the first fruits
Of your breath and your time
In prayer and with the Word.
Each day you meekly made manifest
The goodness of God-made man.
You glorified the Creator
With your own carpenter-creations—
And provided for our little, holy family.
You modeled the sturdy fabric made
When faith is woven into life’s every moment.
And each moment of your life as foster father
You fulfilled your given role—Fostering in the Christ-child
All He would need
To one day fulfill His own role.

O beloved, cherished spouse!
I sing a song of thanks to God
For this day when you—
So dutiful, so devoted, so humble,
So sacrificing, godly and God-centered—
Are singled from your place of support
And honored for all that you are:
A model for husbands,
A model for fathers,
A model for all of mankind.

By Natalie Hoefer
 

(Natalie Hoefer is a member of St. Monica Parish in Indianapolis and is a reporter for The Criterion. The feast of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is celebrated annually on March 19.) †

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