A Reflection on St. Joseph

A Reflection on St. Joseph

By: Marta Timar

While the Gospels do not record any words Saint Joseph might have spoken, the eloquent silence nonetheless allows us a glimpse into his character.  Righteous.  Obedient.  Pure.  Humble.  Silent (contemplative).  Husband.  Protector and guardian of the Savior and the Blessed Virgin.  Saint Joseph experienced the same difficulties in life we all do, yet he lived an exemplary life.  Saint Joseph was a man possessed of unwavering faith and utmost trust in God’s providence.  God was first and foremost, above all, in Saint Joseph’s life.  In short, he is an upright man of faith and outstanding virtues.  As such, he serves as a wonderful role model for us in today’s often unruly culture.

For Saint Joseph, doing God’s will was paramount. Saint Joseph never questioned what God told him and carried out God’s promptings without hesitation or delay – his response was immediate and he would carry out the task at hand the way God wanted it done.  After the angel appeared to him in a dream, assuring him that Mary’s child was conceived through the Holy Spirit, Joseph took Mary into his home as his wife.  After the visit of the magi, upon receiving the angel’s warning, Joseph wasted no time, immediately getting up and taking his little family and fleeing to Egypt in the middle of the night to escape King Herod’s murderous wrath.  Later, after Herod’s death, the angel again instructed Joseph that it was time to return to the land of Israel, and while he probably intended to return to Bethlehem in Judea, chose rather to go to Nazareth in Galilee upon being warned by the angel that Herod’s son ruled Judea in his place.  When God told Joseph to get up and go, Joseph unhesitatingly got up and went. 

Saint Joseph was a man of action, obeying God’s will for him in the ordinary duties of daily life.  He faithfully and tenderly loved, protected and provided for the Child Jesus and the Virgin Mary.  He kept the Sabbath and went to the Temple in Jerusalem for the Passover.  He did the ordinary things of everyday, ordinary life with love.

By following Saint Joseph’s example, we can find considerable peace of mind in knowing we are faithfully doing the ordinary, little things that God wants us to do.

Mar 17, 2017 | Blogs, Reflections

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