Joseph the Dreamer

This stained glass window from the Shrine depicts the scene where the angel appears to Joseph in a dream.   I have mentioned this scene previously.

(By the way, before I continue, some of you astute observers may have noted the dual small images beneath the scenes from the life of Joseph in this, and in the other pictures that I have shared with you.  They are symbols of the different professions that made up the workforce in Lowell when this Shrine was dedicated.  These are very appropriate for a Shrine named after Saint Joseph the Worker.  I will speak more of them probably in future posts.)

Getting back to my original point, I heard someone say once that God has to speak to us in dreams because that is the only time we will shut up and listen.  There is some truth to that, I guess.  When the angel appeared to Joseph was a challenging time in his life.  He had found out Mary was pregnant, not by him.   I am sure he had all kinds of thoughts, and it disturbed him.   He was so disturbed probably that that is why the Lord could not come to him in the daylight, but rather had to wait until he was asleep, when he was calmer.

I think nowadays,  though. God has difficulty even speaking to us in dreams because both in our conscious and our subconscious (which is what gets expressed in dreams, in my opinion), we have so much going on nowadays that it is hard to get either settled down to be able to listen to the Lord.   Having a place within us where we can rest and settle down and listen to Him is very important, but I think a lot of people have not found that place yet.   If we do not cultivate that inner silence, it will be hard for the Lord to speak to us, and for us to hear Him, be it in dreams, or anytime else.

We hear talk a lot nowadays about our dreams in the sense of a lofty goal we want to achieve or have happen to us.   Our dreams are important, we should acknowledge them, and bring them to the Lord in prayer.  However, we need to also realize God has a dream for us.  God wants us to be with Him, to share His inner life as Three Persons, and He wants us to come along the path He has led us to achieve that dream.  I think by appearing to Joseph in a dream, God got Joseph dreaming again.  He had probably given up on his dreams, but God stepped in and gave him a new dream.

Dream big things, spend time with God sharing them with Him, and He will give you an even bigger dream.   If you have lost your dreams, as perhaps Joseph did, ask Him to give you a new one.

Joseph, solace of the wretched in spirit, pray for us