Pope's Vespers reflection focuses on the figure of St. Joseph

(March 19, 2009) Pope Benedict XVI is currently on a pastoral visit to Cameroon and Angola. The main purpose of his March 17-23 visit is to issue to the African Church the working document of the Second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa, scheduled for this October in Rome. The theme of this synod is “The Church in Africa in Service to Reconciliation, Justice and Peace.”
On Wednesday evening the Holy Father presided over a Vespers prayers at the minor basilica of Mary Queen of the Apostles, in the Cameroonian capital Yaounde. Present at the Vespers were bishops, priests, religious seminarians, deacons, members of ecclesial movements and representatives of other Christian Churches.
Pope Benedict’s reflection was on the fatherhood of St. Joseph, whose feast is celebrated on March 19. Referring to Jesus speaking of the ‘one Father”, Pope Benedict said that ‘man has been granted a share in this one fatherhood of God,” and Saint Joseph is a striking case of this. Without being the biological father of Jesus, Joseph lives his fatherhood fully and completely, the Pope said, explaining that in order “to be a father means above all to be at the service of life and growth.”
Turning to priests the Pope said that they are called to live out this fatherhood in the daily tasks of their ministry through a profound relationship with Christ who is given to us in the Eucharist. In celebrating the sacrament of the Eucharist the priest thus becomes servant, a humble instrument pointing to Christ, who offers himself in sacrifice for the salvation of the world.
Pope Benedict encouraged religious men and women and those in ecclesial movements to also look up to Saint Joseph, who agreed to be part of the great mystery of the Incarnation. Joseph teaches us that it is possible to love without possessing. The spiritual contribution offered by consecrated persons is likewise significant and indispensable for the life of the Church. Being totally consecrated to the glory of his Father and the love of his brothers and sisters, consecrated persons have the mission of bearing much-needed witness before our world to the primacy of God and of eternal life. He encouraged them not to be afraid of living to the full the self-offering that they have made to God in being chaste, poor and obedient in every circumstance.
Pope Benedict again pointed to Saint Joseph saying his faith was not separated from action. His faith had a decisive effect on his actions. He stepped aside and left God free to act, placing no obstacles in his way. Joseph is a “just man” because his existence is “ad-justed” to the word of God.
At the end Pope Benedict turned to the members of other Christian confessions, saying the quest for unity among the disciples of Christ leads us first of all to be converted to the Person of Christ, to let ourselves be drawn more and more to him.