Despite his dusty appearance, St. Joseph lovingly casts his gaze on my husband as he handcrafts furniture and refurbishes antiques. But the saint’s influence stretches beyond the workshop. I can see St. Joseph’s guiding spirit in Arthur’s dedication to his friends, integrity in his workplace, and loving, patient faithfulness in his marriage to me. Family virtues When St. Joseph is depicted with the tools of his trade, I remember that he not only built items necessary for a functioning home, but he also built the virtues necessary for a faith-filled family: guardianship, merciful love, and unfailing trust in God. Saint Joseph’s life shows us how to live our own lives convicted in faith. We often speak of Mary’s fiat, or “yes” to God’s will, when she accepted the news from the Angel Gabriel that she would bear Jesus. Joseph had his own fiat, too. He was betrothed to Mary when she informed him that she was with child. This must have come as a shock, and while Joseph could have disgraced the young woman, instead, he decided he would dissolve their engagement quietly. The kind and compassionate Joseph preferred not to “drag her name through the mud” but to trust in her, and in God’s providence working somehow in this mysterious situation. He was merciful even when the external signs alone indicated he may have been wronged. But when an angel visited Joseph’s dreams to explain the true meaning behind Mary’s pregnancy, Joseph accepted God’s will for his family (see Mt 1:18-25). Joseph’s full embrace of his role as husband and father shows not only his faithfulness to God but his love and fidelity to his wife. In his 2020 apostolic letter Patris Corde (“With a Father’s Love”), Pope Francis wrote that Joseph “teaches us that amid the tempests of life, we must never be afraid to let the Lord steer our course. At times, we want to be in complete control, yet God always sees the bigger picture.” Rose to the challenge The course of Joseph’s life probably looked nothing like he imagined, yet he continuously rose up to challenges by trusting in the Lord. During the census, he cared for his pregnant wife on a long journey to Bethlehem and found a safe place for her to deliver the Child (see Lk 2:1-7). When King Herod began his massacre of infants to kill the Baby Jesus, Joseph led his family as fugitives into Egypt (see Mt 2:13-15). After Herod’s death, Joseph emigrated back and settled in Nazareth, with carpentry as his trade to support his wife and child (see Mt 2:19-23). And when the pre-teen Jesus was lost in Jerusalem, staying behind in the temple to teach the rabbis, Joseph did not admonish Him but accepted his Son’s divinity and greater purpose (see Lk 2:41-52). Saint Joseph models for all men the unique and necessary role that fathers play in the family as protectors of their wives and children, made possible by a total trust in God’s plan for the family. Pope St. John Paul II stated in his 1989 apostolic exhortation Redemptoris Custos (“Guardian of the Redeemer”), “In the course of that pilgrimage of faith which was his life, Joseph, like Mary, remained faithful to God’s call until the end.” Actions, not words Interestingly, while Joseph is featured in the Gospels, he is never given any spoken lines. We read about Joseph’s character through his actions alone. Perhaps that gets at the heart of holy masculinity. Men can show their love for their wives and children best through their hard work, good deeds, and ardent faith. On March 19, the Catholic Church celebrates St. Joseph’s feast day, a Solemnity which falls during the Lenten season. During Lent, we can pray that he intercedes for us with the St. Joseph Memorare. We can also devote a novena to St. Joseph in the nine days leading up to his feast day, with special intentions for family life, fathers, jobs, and immigrants, all for which St. Joseph is patron. Additionally, we can dedicate ourselves to embracing Lent in the spirit of St. Joseph: With fewer words and more action. Pope Benedict XVI said in a 2006 Angelus address, “From the example of St. Joseph, we all receive a strong invitation to carry out with fidelity, simplicity, and modesty the task that Providence has entrusted to us.” Rather than simply talking about being kinder, more forgiving, and more patient with others, let’s actually do it! After all, “faith without works is dead” (Jas 2:26). And St. Joseph showed us that the best way to keep our faith alive is to truly and fully live it out. Marian Helper • Spring 2025 • Marian.org 19 We invite you to send us your intentions for the St. Joseph Novena. Visit Marian.org/b65 to have your intentions remembered.
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