How was I
ever going to live up to the expectations of my child? I didn’t even know her yet, but I knew she’d
expect a lot from me growing up. You
know what? She did. Both of my daughters expected a lot from
me. Not material expectations, but
love. I hope I’ve been able to live up
to their expectations.
I know the
feeling of helplessness and wonder about how to raise a child. And while my children are gifts from God that
I am charged with teaching life’s lessons, I can’t imagine what it must have
felt like to know that the child I was raising IS God! I’m sure Joseph knew. I believe God gives fathers (and of course
mothers-even more so!) the grace to instinctively know their children’s
strengths and weaknesses and how to teach them to reach their full potential. What a daunting task for Joseph! What could he possibly teach Jesus?
The answer
is—everything Jesus needed to learn in His human Nature. He humbled Himself to be born as a helpless
baby, in a stall, surrounded by animals and the “poorest of the poor”, the few
shepherds that were present. And, like
any other human child, He needed His mother’s milk, and His stepfather’s
protection and guidance growing up.
Today, the
Church celebrates the Solemnity of St. Joseph, the husband of the Blessed Virgin
Mary.
While we don’t
know many details of St. Joseph’s life, we do know that he was a skilled
craftsman, a carpenter by trade. We also
know that he was a righteous man, a just man. He took his calling of husband very seriously,
and along with Mary, his wife, taught the child Jesus about God, goodness,
compassion, fidelity to tradition and generosity to those in need.
Joseph
underwent many struggles as the husband of Mary and the father of Jesus. His happiness at the prospect of taking Mary
into his home as his wife was shattered when he discovered that Mary was
pregnant. He wasn’t the father. He must have spent many sleepless nights
wrestling with the best way to deal with what he thought was Mary’s infidelity.
We can image how he must have felt: betrayed,
devasted, uncertain of his future and broken-hearted. He was a man of faith, a man of justice, a man
who knew the law and who wanted to live according to God’s Law.
But Joseph
was also a man of God, formed by his deep faith in the living legacy of the
Hebrew scriptures and traditions. His
faith helped him accept the God who broke into our human story time and time
again, to bring freedom and grace, dignity and hope, a new beginning and a new
creation. He believed in a living God,
who speaks to us in loving ways, even as God gives us the strength to endure
many hardships.
God spoke to
Joseph and said to take Mary into his home. He heard and he obeyed. He did the right thing because he was a
righteous man.
Joseph was
not only Mary’s loving husband, but he was also Jesus’ loving parent. Along with Mary, Joseph taught Jesus well. Under their care, Jesus grew “steadily
in wisdom and age and grace before God and men.” [Luke 2:51]
Jesus, Mary
and Joseph didn’t live during the best of times. They lived in an occupied country that was
ruled by a cruel Roman empire and by a puppet Jewish governor, Herod. Their religious leaders were divided and
fighting each other. At any given time,
these authorities could disrupt the lives of the people of Israel. Joseph, head of the family, saw his role as
keeping Mary and Jesus safe and secure in the midst of the chaos and confusion
that was part of everyday life.
We, the
Church (and especially fathers), honor and celebrate the life of St. Joseph
this day because he’s such a good example for us in the world we live in today.
More than ever, we live in a world that
lacks a moral compass, where good and evil aren’t recognized as social
conditions, and leaders are no longer respectful and committed to the common
good.
We celebrate
St. Joseph’s fidelity to the traditions of his ancestors. We celebrate his openness to God’s voice in
his life. We celebrate his love for his
wife, Mary. We celebrate his parenting
of his son, Jesus. We celebrate his
sense of justice and his integrity.
It’s nice to
know that as a father, I share a special bond with Joseph, and that I have
examples I can draw from when I feel overwhelmed in my role.
St. Joseph, husband of Mary and father of Jesus, pray for us!
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