St. Joseph Day

Recently someone said: "Too bad St. Joseph's Day, March 19 is always during Lent. Why doesn't the Church change the date so we can more fittingly honor this great saint?" This caused a lively conversation about 'celebrating saints'.

St. Joseph fits in perfectly with the Lenten time of spiritual renewal. All of us can discover in this 'JUST MAN' a number of spiritual qualities that we are looking for in our life in Christ. We can identify with him as:

• a man dedicated to selfless service with a loyal heart,
• a man faithful in ordinary everyday routine,
• an honest man of righteousness,
• a man of simple sincerity, disciplined in mind and body,
• but above all, a man of faith who did God's will with reverence and manly piety.

In 1982, Pope John Paul II wrote: "How natural to recall Joseph when thinking of Jesus and Mary. At Jesus' side you see the sweet figure of Mary, his and our mother. You observe the reassuring presence of Joseph, the 'just man' (Mt. 1, 19), who in active silence provides for their needs. It is above all on him that the eye of the heart pauses to admire his gifts of REVERENCE and of AVAILABILITY, of INDUSTRY and COURAGE, which encircle his gentle figure with a halo of captivating appeal."

These characteristics flowing from a justice whose source is faith makes Joseph particularly suited to be a patron for all times. Can we identify with the same reverence, availability, industry and courage lived by Joseph as spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and foster father of our Lord? Aren't most of us called in faith to dutiful service, quiet loyalty and fidelity to the ordinary?

The new Testament Gospel tell us little of Joseph, but what they reveal is significant. Two gospels, Mark and John, never mention him. The first two chapters of Luke and Matthew reveal a real man of faith and love who occupies a key role in the mystery of the Incarnation as husband of the Virgin Mary and foster father of Jesus. The name "Joseph" occurs 10 times.

After the Infancy narratives, the only mention of Joseph is in all four gospels when there is question about Jesus' identity:

"Is this not Joseph's son?" (Lk, 4:22)

"Is this not the carpenter's son?" (Mt. 13:54)

"Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph whose father and mother we know?" (Jo 6:42)

Not a word of Joseph is recorded. We know he was from Nazareth, about which people said: "What good can come from Nazareth?" We learn too that he was of the noble and royal blood line of David. "The angel said, 'Joseph, son of David...'So Joseph went from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea to David's town of Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David." (Lk 2:4)

The Scriptures reveal him as an insignificant carpenter in a small town of little consequence. His life was that of ordinary and everyday routine, silent performance of duty, and honest righteousness. He knew exile as a displaced person detained in a foreign land until the political climate permitted return.

He is identified as a "Just man - a man of the covenant in mind, heart and action."

Three times he was called by God's angel to carry out the divine will in ways that required total trust in faith. Each time the inspired writer states, "he did as the angel directed" (Mt. 1:24). "He left that night for Egypt" (Mt. 2:13). "He left Egypt and returned to Galilee" (Mt. 2:23).

Joseph's life was ruled by his God and the covenant of the chosen people. He accepted and did God's will in all that he was called to be and to do. He was just before God with Mary who was with child and by the angel's command "took her into his home." The Scriptures tell of his fidelity to the covenant. "Each year he went to the Passover Feast, as was the custom" (Lk 2:41).

His fidelity to the rituals and moral life of the covenant people prepared him for God's call. When God called he did not question or hesitate. He listened and did God's will. St. Joseph was not afraid. He placed absolute trust in God and surrendered himself to God's plan.

From the prolific writings of Father Frederick Faber (+1863) comes this profound insight about St. Joseph from "The Hidden Saint":

"St. Joseph was unselfishness itself, the very personification of it. His whole life meant others. This was the significance of his vocation. He was an instrument with a living soul as the visible protector of Jesus and Mary. But his unselfishness did not mean self-oblivion.

His special grace was self-possession. Calmness amid anxiety, considerateness amid startling mysteries, a quiet heart combined with an excruciating sensitiveness, a self-consciousness maintained for the single purpose of an unremitting gift of self, the promptitude of docility, unbroken sweetness amid harassing cares, abrupt changes and unexpected situations, a facile passiveness under each movement of grace, each touch of God's finger, yet calm, unquestioning, reposing upon God. These are the operations of grace that are so wonderful in Joseph's soul.

He seems to receive graces as if they were sunshine or dew falling on him. He was not a light that shone, he was rather a fragrance in the house of God."

St. Joseph like John the Baptist are like a bridge between the Old and New Testament, yet fully saints in Christ. St. Joseph truly inspires us in his relationship with Jesus and Mary. He offers the richness of his 'just' life and his witness to Jesus for our contemplation in this graced time of Lenten conversion.

+ Most Rev. Carl F. Mengeling, Bishop of Lansing