Solemnity of Saint Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(II Samuel 7:4-5a.12-14a.16; Romans 4:13.16-18.22; Matthew
1:16.18-21.24a)
Pope
Francis has proclaimed this year as the Jubilee Year of St. Joseph. Although relatively little is written about
him in the gospels, he is being treated with the same reverence as St. Paul! People may wonder why, given the fact that
not only is little said about St. Joseph, but he never utters a word in all
Scripture. Yet he facilitated the
incarnation and our salvation by giving Jesus and Mary a home. It is instructive to imagine what Joseph
brought to that home.
First,
he was open to life. Joseph not only
accepted Jesus as a foster son; he also sheltered and nourished the Son of God. He allowed himself to contemplate the glory of
God by watching Jesus grow in his midst.
Joseph also must have prayed constantly.
The statement that the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream implies that
he was always thinking about God. Dreams
are often extensions of conscious life where hopes and fears are played
out. Joseph, called a righteous man in
the gospel, probably prayed that he might serve the Lord. Finally, Joseph no doubt instilled the human
values of workmanship in his home. He
taught Jesus mindfulness in preparing the job at hand, diligence in pursuing its
excellence, and patience in finishing a product. Jesus was a more capable preacher and leader
because of Joseph’s tutelage.
In
this Jubilee Year of St. Joseph, we can pray for his intercession with our
needs. He knew the human situation, its
limits, and its difficulties. Turning to
him, we can count on his support to move us beyond our little world of self into
the unbounded love of God. Doing so, we
will complete works that are helpful to others and meritorious for us.
