Page 126 - Reflections on St. Joseph

TheTHEOLOGY of

ST. JOSEPH

according to

Fr. Beniamino Bertoni, OSJ

A
fter the Encyclicals dedicate to the Word Incarnate, the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
in the magisterial work of John Paul II, a document on St. Joseph could not be lacking,
with the title “Redemptoris Custos”, in which the accent is placed both on the mystery of
the Incarnation and on that of the Redemption.

The central point in which God reveals
together himself and it holy salvific will, Jesus
Christ, must not be disconnected from those
who were, by free but not arbitrary divine
choice, intimately and indissolubly involved in
his coming in the flesh.

The Pope proceeds in a theological manner but
he also carries out a meditation. After having
recalled the 100 Anniversary of the Encyclical
th
“Quamquam pluries” of Pope Leo XIII, John Paul
II draws the outlines for a theology of St.
Joseph.

His starting point is a passage from the Gospel
of Matthew (1:20-21.24). In these words, the
Pope sees a strict analogy with the
annunciation to Mary. Just as for Mary, in his
generous response to this announcement is
found the true greatness of St. Joseph: just as
Mary is great for having conceived the Word
“first with her mind and then with her body” so
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Reflections on st. joseph