Listening in the Silence of St. Joseph

St. Joseph, Spouse of the Mother of God, Foster Father of the Son of God, Head of the Holy Family – pray for us! These invocations from the Litany of St. Joseph are particularly meaningful as we prepare for the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September and the Synod on the Family in Rome in October.

The Gospel, as we know, has not kept any word of Joseph who carries out his activity in silence.  His silence was not a sign of inner emptiness but rather an indication of the faith he carried in his heart and which guided his thoughts and actions. It allowed Joseph to be attentive to the mystery of God and available to do the divine will.

St. Joseph listened. On three occasions a message came to him as he slept. He needed to determine if the message he heard was a divine word or an ordinary dream. Joseph recognized the divine word and did as the angel directed, first taking Mary into His home as his wife, later taking his wife and child into Egypt to protect them from Herod and finally, when it was safe, returning to their homeland.

Joseph experienced confusion and doubt, challenging events and circumstances. As God’s plan for him unfolded, Joseph was steady and firm, a stalwart man of faith. He accepted the challenges of God’s word even when he could not understand all the details of a situation or foresee all the consequences. Like Mary, Joseph was called to live his “yes” to God’s plan.

Although Joseph appears as a quiet and unassuming man he had an extraordinary place in God’s plan of salvation. His actions teach us a chosen path to virtue. He listened, discerned God’s presence and fulfilled the divine will. St. Joseph is the faithful disciple who upon hearing the Word of God acts upon it.

 “Each and every one of us has a role to play in the plan of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If discouragement overwhelms you, think of the faith of Joseph; if anxiety has it grip on you, think of the hope of Joseph, that descendent of Abraham who hoped against hope; if exasperation or hatred seizes you, think of the love of Joseph, who was the first man to set eyes on the human face of God in the person of the Infant conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Let us praise and thank Christ for giving us Joseph as an example and model of love for Him” (Benedict XVI, March 19, 2009).

St. Teresa of Avila, encourages us to rely on Joseph.  “Of all the people I have known with a true devotion and particular veneration for St. Joseph, no one has failed to advance in virtue; he helps those who turn to him to make real progress.”

May we “Go to Joseph.” I am confident he will guide us along the path of virtue and protect and care for us as he did Mary and Jesus.