Today we celebrate a man who is both a true son of Abraham and a true son of David, St. Joseph, the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Joseph’s quiet humility and obedient faith do not attract much attention, so he is often overlooked. As we ponder his life, however, we discover his extraordinary greatness. He is a giant of faith, the greatest Saint in history, after his beloved wife.
We know very few details about Joseph’s life. He was certainly a descendant of King David, and was probably born in Bethlehem. King David is mentioned in today’s first reading, where the Lord promises him that his offspring will reign forever. David’s son Solomon succeeded him on the throne and was the first to “build a house” for the Lord’s name, but Solomon did not reign forever. The prophecy points to a mysterious future “son of David,” Jesus Christ, who will reign as an Eternal King. But the prophecy is fulfilled by means of the free participation of Joseph, since it is only through him that Jesus can rightly be called “Son of David.” Joseph himself was addressed by the angel as “son of David,” but he was not a king; he was a simple carpenter.
The first virtue of Joseph that appears in the Scriptures comes from his description as “a righteous man.” He is firmly determined to do what is right. Since he knows he is not the father of Mary’s unborn child, he chooses the most honorable solution he can find; he decides to break off their betrothal. From Joseph’s response to this moment of crisis, we can learn an important lesson. To be righteous, we must be decisive. It is better to decide on the best possible course of action and to go forward with trust in the Lord than to linger in indecision. Many people, especially the youth, have the attitude that it is better not to commit to anything, so as to leave all one’s options open. Thus, they neither progress humanly nor discover their true vocation from God. Joseph is not like that. He does not let fear prevent him from doing what is right. He is a man of prudent decision and prompt action.
The Lord intervenes by way of an angel who appears to Joseph in a dream. When Joseph learns that God wants him to take Mary home as his wife, he immediately changes the whole course of his life, in obedience to the will of God. This is a supreme example of faith. Faith is not weakness. It is not an irrational approach to life. It is a whole-hearted “yes” to the will of God. Joseph shows us how to act in faith: as soon as he knows God’s will, he does it.
The Liturgy compares the faith of Joseph to the faith of Abraham, our father in faith. St. Paul writes about Abraham in the second reading, teaching us that faith was the key to his inheriting all that was promised. It is faith that opens the way to salvation. Righteousness comes from faith. Just as Abraham believed that God “calls into being what does not exist,” Joseph believed that God called into being Mary’s Child, the one who “will save his people from their sins.”
This kind of faith, strong and enduring, has the quality of producing abundant spiritual offspring. Abraham is the spiritual father of all who believe as he did. We are not physical descendants of Abraham, but we follow in the line of his faith. In the same way we can look to Joseph as our spiritual father. We become his descendants by believing as he did. We do indeed believe what Joseph believes: that Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and that Jesus her Son is the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages.
Today’s feast moves us not only to believe what Joseph believes, but also to love those whom he loves – Jesus and Mary. Joseph teaches us that there is no contradiction between loving Jesus and loving Mary. As a devoted and faithful husband and father, he put his life at the service of them both, without concern for his personal benefit. His whole life shows us that the very best we can do for our families and loved ones is to dedicate ourselves to the will of God. The more deeply we live by faith, the more fully we can give ourselves in love.
Why do I have the tendency to linger in indecision instead of going forward, trusting in the Lord like Joseph? What lessons can I learn from the faith of Abraham and St. Joseph? How do I imitate St. Joseph’s humility, faithfulness and righteousness?
Excerpt from The Anawim Way, Volume 19, no. 3. More information about The Anawim Way may be found here.