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Monday Feast of St. Joseph
A Righteous Man
Church of St. Joseph, Nazareth
In the last year or so before he passed away, my grandfather, my Pop Pop, moved in with my parents so that they could better manage his declining health. And when it became clear that things were rapidly taking a turn for the worse, I made plans to fly home for a final visit. Throughout the preparations and, in fact, every morning that I was home with him, I kept telling myself – I need to say the words! I need to tell him how much I love him.
Unfortunately by the end of our visit, I still had not said the words. A few months later I was on the phone with him for what I knew was the absolute last time we would talk. And after all the harmless conversation about the weather and sport, I finally, finally, got up the courage to say – Pop Pop, I love you. He responded with the same words and then we cried together! I always look back on that moment with a sense of joy that we were able to share those simple but important words.
But as I look back on it now, I realize I should never have been worried or nervous because, truth be told, I never really needed to say the words and neither did he. I already knew he loved me and he knew I loved him. Not because of any words but because of our actions – the times we spent together. He taught me how to hold a saw and wield a hammer. In many ways, he taught me what it means to be a grandfather. Pop Pop was a man of very few words; he let his actions speak for himself and they spoke of a man of humility and grace, a man of quiet courage and love, devoted to his family and his faith.
On March 25th, we hear the story of the Annunciation, Gabriel appearing to Mary and her resounding YES to God! In Matthew’s Gospel , it’s Joseph’s turn for the angel of God to bring an announcement. But the circumstances and details are radically different.
Unlike Mary, Joseph’s ‘announcement’ happens at night in a dream. Mary questions the angel about how this could happen to her, a virgin. Joseph? No questions, in fact, not one single word, not just here, not anywhere in the Gospels. None of the Gospels records any words of Joseph, only his actions when he encounters the divine.
Mary’s response at the appearance of Gabriel? “I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to Your Word.” And Joseph? His response is one of action. When he wakes, he immediately takes Mary into his home. No questions! No expression of doubt or hesitancy! He is a man of few, if any, words. But his actions speak volumes.
Matthew calls him a righteous man, a man devoted to and a faithful follower of the Law. He knows that the Law is very clear. If a woman is found with child before marriage, she should be exposed for her adultery and could be stoned to death. Joseph, even before his dream, has decided to divorce her quietly so as not to expose her to shame. He knows the Law; he follows the Law. But he is also a compassionate man and he realizes that laws should be tempered by love of God and love of others. His only concern is for Mary, not himself.
Joseph acts out of love and faith and even courage. There is one thing throughout this situation that he does lack – fear! In every story in the Gospels, Joseph hears God’s message and he responds; he obeys without question! No hesitation! No doubt! Even when he has already decided on a plan of action, he bows to the will of God! He sets aside his own plans and trusts in the Lord. His response is one of faith in God and a willingness to serve his Lord! He immediately accepts God’s direction and bows humbly to His Will. His only concern is for Mary and for her child. Perhaps that is the best description of a righteous man – faithful, compassionate, unselfish, trusting in God!
If you ever travel to the Holy Land and you visit the town of Nazareth, take the time to visit the Church of St. Joseph. A small, simple un-assuming church, tt stands in the shadow of the magnificent Basilica of the Annunciation. Some traditions say the church was built over the site of the Holy Family’s home. And if you take the steps down below, you will come upon a small cave purported to be Joseph’s workshop. And on the wall, you will see a colorful mosaic of the Holy Family.
Front and center, Mary and Jesus are seated around a table. And Joseph stands off to the side surrounded by tools of his carpentry trade. It’s a simple painting but it highlights Joseph’s role in the Holy Family – a carpenter, a husband, a father, and a faithful believer in God. A man who lived a life of humility and service, of courage and trust and obedience. A man who hears the Word of God and acts on it. A truly righteous man.
150 years ago, Pope Pius IX proclaimed St. Joseph as the Patron and Protector of the Catholic Church. Pope Francis, in his Apostolic Letter Patris Corde, With the Heart of a Father, declared 2021 to be the Year of St. Joseph. With these words, he challenged us to reflect on the life of St. Joseph and to pattern our lives on his virtues
“Doctors, nurses, storekeepers and supermarket workers, cleaning personnel, caregivers, transport workers, men and women working to provide essential services and public safety, volunteers, priests, men and women religious, and so very many others. They understood that no one is saved alone… How many people daily exercise patience and offer hope, taking care to spread not panic, but shared responsibility. How many fathers, mothers, grandparents and teachers are showing our children, in small everyday ways, how to accept and deal with a crisis by adjusting their routines, looking ahead and encouraging the practice of prayer. How many are praying, making sacrifices and interceding for the good of all”. Each of us can discover in Joseph – the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence – an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble.”
Maybe it’s shopping for groceries or shoveling the sidewalk for an elderly neighbor, helping out with a parish food drive, being present at school recess (when the weather turns warmer). Maybe it’s serving at a Mass you don’t normally attend or pitching in to clean the pews when the number of volunteers falls short or just simply journeying with the bereaved or lending a compassionate ear to a parishoner struggling with Covid in their family.
Like St. Joseph, as Deacons and wives, each in our own way, we are all called to proclaim the Good News in word and in action, to minister to the needs of the Family of God, to support them as they grow in faith and to guide them by being a visual example of quiet faith and hope, of kindness and patience, of compassionate action and humble service.
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