Though he spoke not a word in the Bible, we know the heart and mind of St. Joseph because of his faithful and obedient actions.
Time and time again, Joseph listened to God. He did what God commanded. And he protected Mary and Jesus.
Not much is written about Joseph as Jesus grew, though we know he must have been as distraught as Mary when 12-year-old Jesus stayed behind to teach in the synagogue.
We know that Joseph taught Jesus the art of carpentry. We imagine that, just as Joseph protected Mary and Jesus through the journey to Bethlehem, to Egypt, and then back again, he must have protected them for the remainder of his life.
Church tradition teaches that Joseph is the model for both husbands and fathers. So, today, on the Feast of St. Joseph in a year dedicated to St. Joseph, let us ask for his intercession in our lives and in our country. We desperately need his intercession because the family is under attack. And who better to ask for help than the leader of the Holy Family?
Media outlets are fraught with stories glorifying the culture of death—a culture that destroys the family. We read stories of increased governmental abortion funding, laws to protect euthanasia, the praising of transgenderism, and pro-abortion politicians who claim to be Catholic. These stories infiltrate our minds and the minds of our children until many can’t help but see them as “normal.”
“Live and let live,” people say. “It’s not hurting me, so why should I care?” they ask. “You do you,” they teach.
Ours has become a world where many put themselves first, where people don’t care about the souls of others, and where people are blinded to the damaging effects of the culture of death.
People have become scared to speak up because anyone who dares speak for morality is called a bigot or intolerant. Anyone who shows concern about the soul of another is called a “religious zealot” or a “right wing nut.”
We see a country greatly divided. We see families destroyed. We see God and all that is good tossed aside for a “woke” culture that’s hell-bent on canceling anyone who stands up for morality.
St. Joseph can help us combat this mentality!
We know that the family is the cornerstone of society. Societies cannot flourish when families are broken apart, when men and women pretend to be the opposite sex, when all human beings are disposable, and when priests are silent about it all.
We can imagine that, if Joseph were here, he would not be silent. We can imagine that his proclivity to obedience and his leadership would help bring the light of his foster-son to all.
That is why we must follow in his footsteps and in the footsteps of the great evangelizers and saints. We cannot be silent. We must become leaders and heed the words of Christ, who taught His disciples: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Christ commands us to teach others. He promises us that He will be with us when we do so. It will not always be an easy road, but Christ will walk it with us. He will never abandon us. And He has given us many wonderful saints—like St. Joseph—to help us along the way. It is our responsibility to learn more about them, to ask for their help, and to model our lives after them.
St. Joseph protected Mary and Jesus; he will protect and guide us as well. Let us never forget to ask for his help to turn our culture to a culture of life. And then let us use his example to spread the love of Christ and bring people to his foster-son.
So, as we celebrate this special feast day, let us remember that Joseph was an obedient servant of God, and let us vow to emulate him in all we do.
St. Joseph, pray for us!
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