ST. JOSEPH – A LOVING FATHER

Marking the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph being declared patron of the universal church by Blessed Pope Pius IX, Pope Francis proclaimed a special “Year of St. Joseph,” beginning on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 2020 and extending to the same feast in 2021. This will be a yearlong celebration dedicated to the foster father of Jesus.

In his apostolic letter which was released on 8th December 2020, “Patris Corde” (“With a father’s heart”), Pope Francis describes Saint Joseph as a beloved father, a tender and loving father, an obedient father, an accepting father; a father who is creatively courageous, a working father, a father in the shadows.

 

Christians can discover in St. Joseph, who often goes unnoticed, “an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble.”  He further went on to say that, “St. Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation.”

 

Despite being troubled at first by Mary’s pregnancy, St. Joseph was obedient to God’s will “regardless of the hardship involved.”  St. Joseph’s unconditional acceptance of Mary and his decision to protect her “good name, her dignity and her life” also serves as an example for men today.  Today, in our world where psychological, verbal and physical violence toward women is so evident, Joseph appears as the figure of a respectful and sensitive man.

In every situation, Joseph declared his own ‘fiat,’ like those of Mary at the Annunciation and Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. “All this makes it clear that St. Joseph was called by God to serve the person and mission of Jesus directly through the exercise of his fatherhood and that, in this way, he cooperated in the fullness of time in the great mystery of salvation and is truly a minister of salvation.

Pope Francis also highlighted St. Joseph’s “creative courage,” not only in finding a stable and making it a “welcoming home for the Son of God (who came) into the world,” but also in protecting Christ from the threat posed by King Herod.  The Holy Family had to face concrete problems like every other family, like so many of our migrant brothers and sisters who, today, too, risk their lives to escape misfortune and hunger.

As a carpenter who earned “an honest living to provide for his family,” Christ’s earthly guardian is also an example for both workers and those seeking employment and the right to a life of dignity for themselves and their families. 

Though he appears to be hidden, still continues to work from the shadows to guide the Mother Church during these troubled times as intercessor, protector and guide.

May this year of St. Joseph be a year of blessing for each one of us and a grace-filled opportunity to emulate the virtues of this incredible Silent Wonder Worker – St. Joseph. 

- @Avinash Bitra OFM Cap