On this Feast of St. Joseph, I’m reminded and awed by the sacrifice and faith of this man of whom we know so little. Yet he stands as the protector of the Church. It seems to me that his sacrifice was, at the very least, an image of the Passion of his “foster” son.
We remember Mary and the sword that pierced her heart because of what she knew would come, and what she witnessed when it came. St. Joseph, as far as we know, knew nothing beyond the fact that God commanded him to take Mary as his wife, and that her child was holy. Did he overhear Simeon’s prophecy? Did Mary ever tell him? He witnessed her labor and his birth. He led them into safety and then led them home. St. Joseph searched for Jesus in Jerusalem. He stood back when Mary spoke on finding him “at my Father’s business.” He was long gone by the time of the Crucifixion and Resurrection.
He was also the only man to ever live with the only two sinless people in history.
What feelings he must have had in his heart each morning, seeing them for the first time, and knowing that the treasure and hope of all humanity had been placed in his imperfect hands, though neither really belonged to him?
Catholics remember the Seven Dolours (Sorrows) of Mary on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15th. The sword that Simeon told her would pierce her heart is represented as seven separate blades:
- The prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35)
- The flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15)
- Loss of the Child Jesus for three days (Luke 2:41-50)
- Mary meets Jesus on his way to Calvary (Luke 23:27-31; John 19:17)
- Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:25-30)
- The body of Jesus being taken from the Cross (Psalm 130; Luke 23:50-54; John 19:31-37)
- The burial of Jesus (Isaiah 53:8; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42; Mark 15:40-47
Though not celebrated by a particular feast, and not a unique teaching of the Church or her tradition, could we not also see seven sorrows in the life of St. Joseph? It just happens that the Confraternity of St. Joseph provides such a list:
- The Doubt of St. Joseph on being made aware of the message of the angel of the Annunciation.
- The Poverty of Jesus’ Birth and how this must have felt to St. Joseph who knew for whom he was called to provide.
- The Circumcision when Jesus first shed his blood and St. Joseph, as his legal father, understood what this might mean for the one he named “Jesus,” “God saves.”
- The Prophecy of Simeon, which foretold his inability to protect his beloved Mary from the sword that would pierce her heart.
- The Flight Into Egypt, a dangerous journey, spurred by a lethal threat, into an unfamiliar land.
- The Return From Egypt, repeating the trek through a dangerous wilderness. St. Joseph was not able to settle his family in his hometown for fear of Herod’s heirs.
- Losing Jesus in Jerusalem for three days, after which his legal son announced that St. Joseph was not his Father.
This is the last we hear of St. Joseph. Tradition has him on his deathbed with Mary and Jesus by his side. God spared St. Joseph, who had silently endured his sorrows and did as he was told to do, the temptation to stop the crucifixion of the Son of God out of duty and love.
This carpenter, whose only conversations in the gospels were with angels, forever stands guard to protect the Church and our souls.
Fatherhood has been the great penance and joy of men from Adam to St. Joseph to us. It is right and just. Adam gave up everything by placing his will into the hands of another. Joseph regained everything by having God’s will placed into his hands. This is the great privilege of sharing in the fatherhood of the Father, which made St. Joseph more father than foster. It is the passion at the center of true fatherhood.
