Man of God

Today, I would like us to focus on Saint Joseph and get to know him better as the man of God that he is. 

Matthew and Luke, the two Evangelists who speak most of Joseph, tell us very little, yet enough for us to appreciate what sort of father he was, and the mission entrusted to him by God. We know that  Joseph was a carpenter, betrothed to Mary. Saint Matthew refers to him as a “just man”, obedient to  God’s will as revealed to him in the Law and through the four dreams which he had. After a long and tiring journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Joseph beheld the birth of the Messiah in a stable, since  “there was no place for them” in the inn. He witnessed and was present at the adoration of the shepherds on Christmas night and of the Magi when they came. 

Saint Joseph was a tender and loving father. The greatness of Saint Joseph is that he was the spouse of Mary and the foster-father of Jesus. In this way, he placed himself at the service of the entire plan of salvation. Joseph concretely expressed his fatherhood by making his life a sacrificial service to the  Holy Family. In the Holy Family, he turned his human vocation of domestic love into a superhuman oblation of himself, his heart, and all his abilities, a love placed at the service of the Messiah who was growing to maturity in his home. Joseph saw Jesus grow daily in wisdom and in years, and Jesus saw  Joseph grow in his sacrifice of self which deepened each and every day. 

Saint Joseph was also an obedient and accepting father. Joseph was deeply troubled by Mary’s mysterious pregnancy. He was unwilling to put her to shame, so resolved to dismiss her quietly But, as he considered this, God revealed his saving plan to Joseph in a dream. In a dream! I suppose that makes sense for the typical “guy way of discernment”. Got a problem? Take a nap! I think Saint Joseph and I are going to get along just fine this year Saint Joseph’s trust in God was authentic; his naps were not an escape from difficulty, but an authentic realization that there are moments in our life which we must leave to God. He deeply desired to do God’s will and trusted that God would show him the way. In every situation, Joseph trusted firmly in God, waited patiently for Him to show him the way, and obeyed promptly when the way was clear.

Often in life, things happen whose meaning we do not understand. Our first reaction is frequently one of disappointment and rebellion. Joseph set aside his own ideas in order to accept the course of events and, mysterious as they seemed, to embrace them, take responsibility for them, and make them part of his own history. Pope Francis tells us that “unless we are reconciled with our own history, we will be unable  to take a single step forward, for we will always remain hostage to our expectations and the  disappointments that follow.” The spiritual path that Joseph traces for us is not one that explains but accepts. Only as a result of this acceptance—not a passive resignation, but a courage and firm proactivity—can we begin to glimpse a broader history, a deeper meaning to how God is working in our lives. 

Each of us can discover in Joseph—the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet, and hidden presence—an intercessor, support, and a guide in times of trouble. Saint Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation. 

Pope Francis has given the Church this prayer as we get to know Saint Joseph better this year: 

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, 

Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

To you God entrusted his only Son; 

in you Mary placed her trust; 

with you Christ became man. 

Blessed Joseph, to us too, 

show yourself a father 

and guide us in the path of life. 

Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage, 

and defend us from every evil. Amen.

~ Father Jeff Hanley
Diocese of Kalamazoo, MI
(Originally given at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Portage, MI for Holy Family Sunday)