Love, Sacrifice, and St. Joseph
Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Foster-Father of Our Lord, Protector of the Universal Church
March 20, 2017
by Jose Miguel Pacheco
Foster-Father of Our Lord, Protector of the Universal Church
March 20, 2017
by Jose Miguel Pacheco
Today, the Universal Church honors its patron and protector, St. Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus and spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Aside from this patronage over the whole Church invoked by Pope Blessed Pius IX to him in 1870, St. Joseph is known as the patron of Fathers, workers and migrants, and spouses, also as the protector of the unborn children, of virgins and of the family.
Much has been entrusted to the intercession of St. Joseph that so many come to him for help in the hope of obtaining spiritual relief. But we must ponder on why the Church places much of its hope on St. Joseph, aside from Mary and Christ himself. The answer to this is the monumental role he played on the history of salvation for it was his duty to protect Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, and Christ, the Redeemer of the World, in their most delicate stages in life.
We know that Joseph has been engaged with the Blessed Virgin Mary even before the Annunciation. It is possible for us to imagine how Joseph would have already been planning on how he will be starting a family with the woman betrothed to him. But at the moment of the Annunciation, when the Angel appeared to Mary and announced how God’s plan of salvation will work through her Motherhood of Christ, the plans of Joseph, also, were bound to change.
The pregnancy of the Virgin Mary before marriage was a scandal to the Jewish society of which they were a part. People will think ill of the Blessed Mother, and might even condemn her to death due to accusations of infidelity to God and the man to whom she was engaged to. What could have Joseph felt upon knowing that the woman he is set to marry was already pregnant, aware that he could not possibly be the father of the child she is bearing? The Gospel tells us that Joseph left Mary in silence. This may have been due to disappointment to what has taken place but due to his love, he divorced her in secret, as to not to create a scandal and to shame her. Little did he know during that time that it was God’s plan which was set to work through their lives.
The Gospel today presents us with the words of the Angel: "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid”. With these words of comfort when Joseph was in a moment of confusion and doubt began a story of courageous love and sacrifice exemplified by him.
Despite what the Jewish society of their time would think of them, Joseph took Mary as her wife and accepted the responsibility of protecting her and accepting the Child in her womb. He did not leave her to shame but accepted her, the purest creature of our race, the destined Mother of God. He took care of Jesus, treated him as his own son and protected Him and His Mother from all dangers. He braved the escape to Egypt during Herod’s massacre of the innocents, he took on the duty to find the Child when he was lost during the Passover feast, he trained the Son of God in the workings of the man of his time, schooled him in virtue and character and imbuing in him the care of a father to his own child. Joseph’s plan changed forever. Family life for St. Joseph was of pure sanctity, of purity, chastity and most of all, love. Joseph respected the perpetual virginity of Mary even after her birth of Jesus, he accepted his duty to a perpetual service to his family.
Joseph was not a victim of circumstance. As much as Mary, the Immaculate Virgin, was destined even before creation to become the God-bearer, the Mother of Christ, so was Joseph! Even as the prophets of the Old Testament have said that the Son of Man will be born of a Virgin, it was also said that the Christ will come from the line of King David. Joseph, in his humility and simplicity, was of the royal Davidic line. From the line of Kings, rulers, villains, noblemen and even heathens, it culminates through Joseph. God destined him as the actualization of the honor of his ancestral line – becoming the earthly father of Jesus, to become the servant of God-made-flesh!
Above all these events which he never expected to take place in his life, what he loved most was not himself, not his own welfare or his possessions, not even his wife Mary, rather, what he loved without ceasing the child entrusted to him, Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, the Savior of the World, he who would die on the Cross for the salvation of humanity from the clutches of sin and death. Tradition tells us that Joseph was in fear of seeing the passion and death of Christ because of his love for him, and with this God granted Joseph a happy death, dying in the arms of Jesus and Mary – the most beautiful passing from this life was experienced by him.
Joseph is a model of the Universal Church. He teaches us to love without limit, to forget the self for love of another, or rather of God himself, to give oneself in service and humility, and to offer one’s life as a testament of gratitude to God. He is the model of all fathers in caring, loving and providing for the family. He is a model for all priests in chastity and service to God and his Church. He is a model for all Christians in being receptive to the will of God and selfless in the expression of love and devotion.
St. Joseph, pray for our Church, pray for all Christians, pray for all families. Help us to imitate your example. Help us to love and serve God as you did. Grant us, through your intercession, to pass from this life in the manner that you did, resting in the arms of Jesus and Mary, gazing on their faces as the last memory of earthly existence, and with hope of seeing the Glorious Son of God, King of the Universe, and the immaculate Queen of Heaven and Earth, in the majestic house of the Eternal Father. Amen.