Saturday, March 19, 2011
by Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.
MATTHEW 1: 16, 18 - 21, 24
16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; 19 and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of 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." 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife,
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:
A BLESSED SATURDAY!
DREAMS are occurrences that happen spontaneously in our moments of sleep wherein we have an “interior experience”, in a “SUB-CONSCIOUS” state, on a series of certain images, incidents, ideas and even emotions. Many have the interest in knowing the meaning of their dreams. Others would simply do not mind it, however, which made them forget their dreams. However, the Bible attaches an interesting significance to dreams. The Bible shows God speaks to people in their dreams. In dreams God can make known his will and plan and also to reveal what has to come or happen in the future. Interestingly, these revelatory-dreams in the Bible have a collective or social relevance rather than personal. Dreams as means for God’s revelation are meant for the community and not for an individual person. Unlike us, when we ask about the meaning of our dream what we intend to know is its meaning to us personally. In fact we are always told to make our own personal interpretation as to learn something from our dreams. The treatment of dreams in the Bible is very different. Dreams are always interpreted in term of its relevance or impact to the community.
In the Gospel today, Joseph had a dream. His dream was not meant for himself solely to make him realize and discover something important to him personally than what God intends for the community. His dream was actually contrary to what he planned to do with Mary. He wanted to divorce her. But his dream made him see a bigger picture than the picture he saw when he was awake. He simply saw the pregnancy of Mary that he has nothing to do and so concerned on how he can split off from her without embarrassing her. But has a God a bigger DREAM he needed to be involved with. God wanted him to take Mary as his WIFE! God gave Joseph an important role to play in the life of Jesus as a father. When he woke up from sleep, going back to his “CONSCIOUS” state, he followed the bidding of God and freely set aside his personal concern. Joseph did it because he has the heart to submit his personal concern to God’s GREATER DREAM!
This Gospel narrative on Joseph’s free submission to God’s plan, reminds us to also defer and submit our personal concern to God's Will. Many of us are held captives by our self-serving dreams and ambitions that our sight are only set on our personal concerns, plans, and interests. The example of Joseph invites us to look and see beyond our own shoulders and let our sight penetrate the hazy clouds of the sky of our personal dreams to reach heaven’s panoramic view that makes us see God’s DREAM, interest and plan. May this Lenten season put us into a deeper spiritual slumber to enter into an interior experience of God so that, like Joseph, our personal dreams (concerns, ambitions, plans, etc) will serve GOD’S DREAM for everyone!
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