SOLEMNITY – ST. JOSEPH, Spouse of B V M

 

The person of Joseph is depicted in the Gospels as a just and upright man. It is not simply a complement given to him, but a fact verified by different instances narrated in the Gospels. Being the father of a small family, Joseph’s character was proven in the context of his family life.

 First, his character was put to test in a shocking manner when he realized that Mary was pregnant without his knowledge. We read in the gospel according to St. Matthew:

“Her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly” (Mt 1:19).

 Joseph went through a very crucial experience of his life when he had to doubt the faithfulness of his wife. He did not know the divine plan for him and his family. Seeing from a purely human perspective, he had all the reasons to be bitterly angry with Mary.

 He was entitled to take revenge. Nobody would blame him, if he exposed her to the public as a faithless woman. The insult of Mary would have satisfied to some extent his wounded pride and self-respect. It was a purely human way of demanding justice for the offence he suffered.

 But in a quite unexpected manner Joseph tries to save Mary from the shame and dishonour, which his vengeful behaviour could have inflicted on her.

 To be a just man like Joseph means also to be sensitive and sympathetic to the accused. As the victim of a severe offence, he did not exercise his right to retaliate. Instead of considering himself as a victim, brooding over hateful thoughts, Joseph took courage to look beyond his immediate feelings.

He decided to protect the honour of Mary even at the cost of his own right and status in society. Thus, he proved himself to be a man of peace.

 Joseph knew this wisdom of life. It was the foundational principle of his family and social life. His stance was justified by the message of the angel who appeared to him in the dream. The angel brought him the good news of the birth of the Messiah, the Saviour. Joseph was authorized to give him the name Jesus.

 When Jesus spoke very often about the love, mercy and goodness of God, he did not find a better word than “father” to attribute to God. The word “father” filled Jesus with overflowing emotions of joy. He related the qualities of love, forgiveness, generosity, care and mercy to the “father” image. Certainly, Joseph has played a role in forming the imagination of Jesus about God as father.

When he wanted to communicate the goodness and mercy of God in a convincing manner, he might have remembered the caring and benevolent picture of Joseph.

 There are various instances in the early life of Jesus, when Joseph showed his paternal care and love for him as a child.

In Bethlehem, he knocked at many doors to find finally a place for his birth.

The flight to Egypt to save the life of baby Jesus and settling down in Nazareth as a hand worker to provide Jesus and Mary a livelihood are some of the various efforts of Joseph as a caring father of the family.

 Joseph is the patron saint of the Universal Church, families, fathers, expectant mothers, travelers, immigrants, house sellers and buyers, craftsmen, engineers and working people, among others.

 Joseph is portrayed in works of art with grey hair and a beard, an older figure next to Mary and Jesus, and often in the background. In the pope’s Apostolic Letter entitled Patris Corde, he wrote, “In his relationship to Jesus, Joseph was the earthly shadow of the heavenly Father. He watched over him and protected him, never leaving him to go his own way. We can think of Moses’ words to Israel: ‘In the wilderness … you saw how the Lord your God carried you, just as one carries a child, all the way that you traveled’ (Deuteronomy 1:31).

In a similar way, Joseph acted as a father for his whole life.”

 The greatest reward that Joseph could expect on earth was a peaceful and happy death in the presence of Jesus and Mary. It was the crowning of his life in faithful service to his son and his mother.

A dignified death is the total submission of life in faith and hope to live forever in love. Joseph is the model of a life, which is graced by a happy death in the consoling presence of Jesus and Mary.

- @Avinash Bitra OFM Cap.