Mary and Joseph's Deep Conjugal Love

	(…) There has never been a stronger and deeper conjugal love than the one Joseph and Mary shared with each other. Their conjugal love was real and deep, and together they knew how to rejoice, pray, welcome others, etc. Their love was the kind of love that never put a burden on the other person. Consequently, the first impression that the Holy Family gave was not that of obvious perfection. Although they lived a certain degree of perfection, they never appeared to others as overwhelmingly impressive or unappealing in their perfection. On the contrary, their love was open and forgiving, and never judgmental. They were the mirror of meekness, humility and patience. The love between Joseph and Mary was attractive and inviting. I think that they knew how to perfectly balance the intimacy in their small family circle with their friendly openness to those around them. (…) It is important for us to invite the Family of Nazareth into our homes, so they can teach us to be like them and show us how to handle our problems in the right way. We see in today's Gospel reading that the Holy Family went through some hard times. Joseph and Mary were worried, they looked for Jesus, and, after speaking to him, they accepted the inevitable. Everything that happened was accepted without violence, but with gentleness and humility. (…)
	Father Emmanuel Gobilliard http://www.cathedraledupuy.org/