I saw St.Joseph depicted in a stain glass window.His brow is furrowed with worry.He is scratching his head.His mind is in a muddle,and seems to be asking ...What do I do next.Marys child has come,but not without stress for Joseph.Again ,the angel tells him ....Get up,take the child and mother away,there is danger,...and he gets up.Later,the angel tells him again...Get up,and bring the child and Mary back,and Joseph ‘gets up’.I forget if it is the same artist that paints Joseph again,giving out to ‘The Teenager for’ doing his own thing ‘in the Temple,get s lost,and is breaking Marys heart.Joseph is between the two ,trying to make peace.Family life is never without tensions and misunderstandings.Too much rope is called careless.Too little rope is suppressing personality.I think that Joseph would advise ,to try to listen to the other persons story,no matter out ‘outlandish’ it may seem.In the story ‘The Teenager’ is right,and Mary is right .Nobody has all the truth.We need understanding to keep the balance ,and God promises to help us,...Lord,give me the understanding I need this day,for my family,friends,fellow workers,and unpleasant people.A psychiatrist advised,that no matter how strong you feel about your viewpoint or stand ,always conclude saying to oneself that I might be wrong.

Liam Hickey, St.Ciarans, Hartstown, Dublin 15.