St. Joseph, Patron of the Province

March 19, 2018

St. Joseph, Patron of the Province

“Holy living is the action by which we express in our behavior and speech the love and presence of our Christ. Holy living is posited on the conviction that everything we do, no matter what we do, however common and little noticed our lives, is connected with the action of God and is seed that becomes either a harvest of holiness or a vintage of wrath” (Eugene Peterson, Reversed Thunder, p 130)

Dear Brothers and Partners-in-Ministry:

Our province celebrates March 19 as our patronal feast. I must admit that doing a reflection on St. Joseph has been challenging because St. Joseph has not received much attention from me in my spiritual journey. As a result, reflection has led me down some interesting paths as I prepared this letter.

Sometimes we consider ourselves “sophisticated,” more advanced theologically and spiritually than the people we serve. It’s a danger for those in ministry. Am I able to let the people teach me about prayer? About faith? Can I integrate their wisdom into my own faith journey? These are questions that we need to ask ourselves on a regular basis. Failure to do so can isolate ourselves from the People of God and diminish our ability to effectively walk with them in ministry.

The scriptural witness regarding him is admittedly very scant. Long before all the dogmatic battles about the nature of Christ, Mary and Joseph had to deal with a deep mystery. Joseph, in dreams, is visited by the Angel of the Lord. He listens. “Do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.” Joseph listened to the dream and obeyed. For us, Joseph is giving us example: am I in tune with the voice of God? do I obey? Some other messages from the Angel of the Lord: (always in dreams):

• “you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Mt 1.21).
• “rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt and stay there until I tell you.” (Mt 2.13) He rose, and took the child and his mother, and fled to Egypt by night, Holy Migrants, fleeing violence.
• “rise and take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel” (Mt 2.19) The Holy Migrants return to Israel, again in obedience to the Angel. Angels visiting, both in dreams and in vision, are not at all common today. Our way is to discern—a very good thing, as long as we faithfully respond after discernment. In any case, Joseph and Mary, shrouded in mystery, bearing Christ, are engaged in reflective living, and in quick obedience to the divine.

Luke provides more details about the Incarnation and birth of the child. After hearing the announcement of the Good News the shepherds ran to see, and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in a manger…what was it like for them? No room at the inn? They clearly are people on the move: to Egypt and back again, then the journey to Bethlehem.

I’m struck by a few things from these gospel stories about Joseph. He’s been called by some ‘Joseph the Silent’ because he passes through the pages of the gospels without uttering a single word. He was called a “just man” who in his compassion and love for Mary refused to expose her publicly. Rather than quote the Bible in his circumstances, he let compassion and love rule.

At the same time, he certainly was a man of action! He listens to the Voice of the Angel. He immediately obeys. Our silent Joseph is always portrayed as caring for Christ and Mary, even as he was embraced by God in silence. He was a man of great compassion: he had an adorer’s heart, his loving gaze “fixed on Jesus” (cf Heb 12.2). Religious art portrays him holding the Christ Child close, or kneeling in adoration with Mary.

Questions: Do I have a listening heart, able to hear the voices of angels, always poised to take obedient action? Like Joseph, do I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus? Do I, like Joseph, hold Christ close? Do I stand to protect the anawim, the little ones of God? Could I be characterized as just and compassionate, like Joseph? Do we trust what the Spirit tells us? Do we embrace Christ and Mary? Do we allow ourselves to be embraced by God? Have I welcomed Mary into my home, my life? What is the role of silence in my life?

I appreciate the opportunities to listen to the theologians in my life: children and old folks, teens who are struggling to make sense out of life, people dealing with horrible life circumstances, or living with violence and addiction and hopelessness. Sometimes they speak very wisely in the midst of their suffering. And often they mysteriously find joy and faith in circumstances that would make others walk away from life and from God. They are inspirations to me. An elderly woman at St. Clare of Montefalco Parish talked about St. Joseph: “Christ had to listen to Joseph when growing up—he still has to in heaven!” That’s why she goes to him for favors.

Others bury images of Joseph in their backyards when they want to buy a house. In homes I’ve seen statues of St. Joseph standing in the corner facing the wall….obviously his intercessory powers weren’t coming through for the family. Even in these quaint examples it’s clear that Joseph and his example are an important part of their daily lives. Joseph is not exiled from their daily experience.

Once Pope Francis was preaching about St. Joseph. The congregation was a mixture of ordinary folks, dignitaries, bishops, cardinals, religious sisters. The pope held a statue of the child Jesus. He sat down and cradled the image very tenderly. He spoke to the child Jesus as if he were Joseph. He spoke tenderly and lovingly, almost adoringly. He told Jesus how much he loved him, and how humbled he felt at the wonder of it all. He made promises any father would: to take care of him, guide him, be present in his life. All very human, all very loving. Not sophisticated. In humility and gratitude, let’s reflect on Joseph’s witness.

Happy Feast Day!

Fraternally,

Michael Sullivan, OFM Cap.

Provincial Minister

 

From: The Province of St. Joseph of the Capuchin Order in the U.S., published by Benziger Brothers, 1907:

"[The first chapter of the Province of St. Joseph was held] Feb 6-12, 1873...The first decision of the chapter, that St. Joseph be taken as a protector, was couched in the words: 'Considering the greatness of the task that has been allotted to our province, to cultivate with apostolic labor such a vast and unusual field, mindful also of the many dangers that might be laid in its path or cause the ruin of its members, the province anxiously raises its eyes on high to implore the help of Almighty God, of the Immaculate Virgin, our fair protectress, and proclaims and pronounces St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ and the pure spouse of the Immaculate Virgin and Mother of God, patron of the province, and it decides that it shall always be called by his name and that its seal bear the representation of this glorious saint.’"