“Saint Joseph was an ordinary sort of man on whom God relied to do great things. He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do, in each and every event that went to make up his life.” – Saint Josemaría Escrivá
My devotion to Saint Joseph, spouse of Mary and foster father of Jesus, has grown a great deal recently. Saint Joseph is a model for every man.
But perhaps you will say that we know very little about him! How can we imitate a man we hardly know? In fact, we know more about Saint Joseph than you might think.
Here are three qualities of Saint Joseph that we can imitate.
1. Saint Joseph was a just man: Scripture calls Joseph a “just” man (Matthew 1:19).
In other words, he was a pious and devout Jew who kept the two great commandments: he loved the Lord his God with all his heart and strength, and he loved his neighbour as himself.
He was also a man of prayer who knew the Psalms and the Law of Moses, and like all devout Jews he prayed at least three times a day. He did everything asked of him with a devout and humble heart, not out of attachment to the letter of the Law. Unlike the Pharisees, he understood its spirit and meaning.
As Catholics, we can imitate Saint Joseph by giving God first place in our lives and by loving our neighbour unselfishly. We can keep the precepts of Holy Mother Church without grumbling or complaining. After all, keeping the law of the Church is incredibly easy, especially compared with the Law of Moses. We must be men of prayer who read Scripture and grow in holiness every day through prayer.
2. Saint Joseph loved Jesus: Joseph was entrusted with the care of Jesus, the Son of God. Amazing as that sounds, his time with Jesus was that of an ordinary father. He lovingly held Jesus in the stable at Bethlehem. He helped him learn to walk. When Jesus got hurt (like all little boys), he comforted him. They prayed and talked together and spent long hours working in the workshop. In short, Saint Joseph had a father’s deep love for Jesus. If you have children, you know the kind of love I mean. Did you know? Jesus loved Saint Joseph, and he loves you and me with all the strength of burning divine love. We can imitate Saint Joseph by loving Jesus passionately and giving him our lives.
3. Saint Joseph loved Mary: Imagine being married to the perfect woman. You could say with a straight face: “My wife is the Queen of the Universe.” In one sense, this could have been the most humbling task ever given to a man. And yet, in another sense, Joseph loved Mary devotedly as his wife, because she truly was. He was ready to die to protect her honour. When she was deeply troubled, he comforted her. When she was tired, she leaned on him. He listened to her patiently and worked long hours to put bread on the table. He was the best husband to the greatest woman who ever lived.
Everyone should have a devotion to Mary (I will write about this another time). She is our Mother and our Queen. Let us love her, defend her honour and offer ourselves to her as Saint Joseph did. I could go on, but you get the idea. Saint Joseph was an extraordinary man, the holy head of the Holy Family. Although Jesus and Mary were without sin, they were obedient to Saint Joseph. He had the hardest job on earth, and he did it superbly. He has a special place in heaven and in the hearts of Jesus and Mary. He is also the patron of the universal Church and one of the most powerful intercessors among the saints.
The Canadian brother Saint André Bessette, canonized in recent years, is credited with the healing of thousands. What was his secret? His secret was prayer to Saint Joseph. If you are in trouble, if you are going through temptation, if you need something, turn to Saint Joseph for help.
Get to know Saint Joseph better. Leo XIII’s encyclical on devotion to Saint Joseph, Quamquam Pluries, is a great place to start. Meditate on his life and his relationship with Jesus and Mary. And ask for his intercession, which will make you a better person.
Prayer: “O Joseph, virgin father of Jesus, most pure spouse of the Virgin Mary, pray every day for us to the same Jesus, the Son of God, that we, defended by the power of his grace and striving faithfully in life, may be crowned by him at the hour of death. Amen.”
