The Silence of St. Joseph, the Spouse of the Virgin Mary

Joseph was a humble man. Named after the great patriarch who was sold into slavery in Egypt; he bore the name with similar humility. As the Old Testament Joseph embraced his lot, rejecting the temptation to bitterness and actually came to rule Egypt, forgiving the very brothers who had sold him into slavery; so too this son of the covenant embraced the One who would establish the New Covenant on the altar of Calvary. 

He was a man of few words, he spoke through his actions, and he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded. Joseph's response was action. 

Pope Francis has a coat of arms which incorporates a flower used to symbolize St. Joseph. He chose March 19th, the Feast of St. Joseph, as the date for his Papal inaugural Mass. In his homily he referred to Joseph as a strong and courageous man, a working man, yet in his heart we see great tenderness, which is not the virtue of the weak, but rather a sign of strength of spirit and a capacity for concern, for compassion, for genuine openness to others, for love.

Joseph was a man for others. Though the Scriptures say so little about Joseph, even that absence speaks volumes. Why? Because to Joseph, he was not the one who was important, others were. He loved Mary above himself and his behavior was just as a result of his love. He was prepared to do the right thing when she was found to be with child. He could have chosen otherwise. How refreshing this upright manly behavior is in an age where men often cower in the face of difficulty. 

Joseph was a man of faith and courage. Along with loving his betrothed, he loved His God courageously. He had a close, intimate personal relationship with the God of His Fathers. In fact, this just man was, in a sense, the last patriarch, completing the lineage. Through his response of faith, He would receive the great gift promised for all men and women and hold in His arms the One that His fathers had only longed to see. God's messenger, an angel, visited Joseph in a dream. 

He was ready to receive. He was disposed not only to the encounter but to the invitation it presented to pour himself out in love and for love. He heard the message and, without hesitation, did what the Lord commanded! This is, in a real sense, Joseph's Fiat, his Yes, his exercise of human freedom to advance God's eternal plan. How refreshing such manly faith and courage are in an age filled with cowardice and rebellion.

We need to learn to give our Yes to the God whose love always invites participation. Joseph is our teacher and shows us the way, a true Man's Man, calling all men to follow Jesus. He teaches us that actions speak louder than words. Let us ask his intercession for our needs and for the people who are in need of our prayers!

To one and all, “Happy feast of Saint Joseph!”