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HOPE AMDIST CRISIS: ST. JOSEPH AS MODEL OF ADVENT, SEASON OF HOPE, FOR FR. ZALDIVAR AT QUIAPO CHURCH ADVENT RECOLLECTION

Jan. 25, 2025 11:50 AM

Rev. Fr. Joseph Don Zaldivar, formator of San Carlos Seminary, gave the first of this year’s Advent recollection series entitled Panahon ng Pag-Asa; Ang Diwa ng Adbiyento para sa ating panahon at 7:00 P.M. on December 2, 2024, at the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno.

Fr. Zaldivar emphasized three points about Advent as the season of hope. In doing so, he set St. Joseph as an exemplar of hope in line with the first week of the Advent season: hope.

The first is ‘dream’, meaning the culture of engagement. Fr. Zaldivar stated that “Dream is the element of hope”. St. Joseph had dreamt of having his own family with Mary. However, through God’s intervention, St. Joseph faced the greatest challenge of being the husband, when he found out that Mary was already pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This brings to the second point, which is interiority in order to resolve crisis with scrutiny instead of haste. Just like St. Joseph, who had thought first of what must be done after finding out his spouse, Mary is carrying the child of God, whom he does not know yet. Instead of plotting to put Mary to shame, he had planned to separate from her silently until St. Joseph had dreamt of the angel telling him to not be afraid of taking Mary to be his wife for she was conceiving the son of God, Jesus.

Lastly, the availability of serving. After the dream, St. Joseph had chosen Mary to be his spouse and the child, Jesus, as his own. These show Joseph’s cooperation in God’s plan of salvation through his three attributes of being flexible, creative and being resourceful.

– Kidanzac A. Tallada (Shrine & Pilgrims’ Ministry)