The Gospel of Matthew gives emphasis to St. Joseph, for it is through him that the legal, filial line passed from King David to Jesus.
The following are virtues we all stand to learn from St. Joseph.
St. Joseph’s Silence
If we look at Sacred Scripture, there is not one word uttered by St. Joseph that was recorded. God speaks to us in the depths of our hearts, for he knows our deepest desires.
In our world full of distraction especially through social media and those plug into our ears, we pause for a while and look at the beauty of nature and see His masterpiece.
St. Joseph’s Trust
An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, explaining that the child in Mary’s womb had been conceived by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, and so when he awoke, he “did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him” (Mt 1:24).
Trusting in the Lord meant putting everything in His hands. We must choose not to worry ourselves with all the superficial things of daily life, but rather rely on His Holy Will, for He who is the source of everything will not let us go astray.
St. Joseph’s Responsibility
“He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel” (Mt 2:21). Being the earthly father of Jesus, he took the responsibility of raising the child of God with the help of Mary. It is in his arms that the child Jesus felt love and care.
Responsibility means carrying out the task at hand wholeheartedly and with dedication.
This piece was contributed to Catholic-Link by guest-author, Andrew Chanco.
A Family Man
Surely, St. Joseph would not have needed to discipline the child Jesus. Still, we were moved by this StoryCorps vignette about a strong, silent, hard-working father, and the kind of influence he wields, even without words (like St. Joseph). Listen as a son reflects back on his upbringing and his father, who – with a mere stern glance – and the gravitas that only a father who has earned his God-given authority, can manifest.
St. Joseph is a saint for all times, but truly and especially a saint for our times. In an age where the crisis in families, absentee fathers, proliferation of pornography, and any other number of distortions pertaining to masculinity seem to wound every family and community, surely Saint Joseph is a patron for us in many ways. Let us turn to him with our aches and intentions as a special intercessor.
Prayer To St. Joseph
Dear Saint Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for our fathers.
Saint Joseph, spouse of the Virgin Mary, pray for our husbands.
Saint Joseph, protector and provider of the Holy Family, pray for men.
Saint Joseph, patron of the Universal Church, pray for our priests, and for all of us.
Amen.
St. Joseph Resources
