Saint Joseph (2)
by Ferdinando Castelli sj
"Lettres à sa fiancée" by Léon Bloy
«Do you believe me, dear Jeanne, if I tell you that every time I write to you I feel very embarrassed? My heart is full of you and my spirit is continually ignited. It is enough for me to remember your figure and immediately divine and sweet thoughts come to keep me company" (Letter from Bloy to Jeanne, 27 November 1889)
In all languages the word "love" is among the most cited, but it is also among the most inflated. In reality, the counterfeits of love are boundless. For it, what happens to the term "God" occurs. God is love , as John states in his first letter, but there are countless idols exchanged for God. Among the deformations of love, one of the most recurrent is that perpetrated by selfishness, it would be satisfaction of the senses, consideration of others as an object, from use and then put aside, fun and erotic stun.
by Ferdinando Castelli sj
There is no shortage of books on Saint Joseph; For the most part they are either works of exegesis and devotion or works of fiction, some of high quality. Among the most modern publications we remember: P. Barbagli, Giuseppe nel Gospel; J. Galot, St. Joseph; the volumes of p. Tarcisio Stramare, Jan Dobraczynski, The Shadow of the Father. Works - and many others like these - of high scientific or literary level. Lately Giovanna Ferrante, writer, journalist from Milan, has published a volume - Giuseppe, the carpenter of Nazareth (Ancora 2011, pp.141, €10.50) - in which theology, devotion and poetry blend and harmonize, so as to offer a work full of charm and interest.
The volume “is spread over two levels: the parts in italics are those in which the author imagines Joseph on his deathbed, assisted by Jesus and Mary. In the chapters that gradually follow one another, Joseph revisits the fundamental stages of his life, relives the most important events, revives people's memories, tries to understand the mission that God assigned to him" (p.10). In this way the The author has the possibility of narrating the extraordinary human-divine story of St. Joseph, portraying it live, thanks to three elements that she has at her disposal in excellent terms: knowledge of the Gospel and the writings of the time, a notable evocative and descriptive capacity , finally a poetic and fantastic vein that gives the whole thing liveliness and colour.