Joseph the Just, Model for the man of God

As I prayed the rosary yesterday during Eucharistic adoration, I began to think about St. Joseph. I had also just gone to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, so I was especially trying to focus and meditate on really living more virtuously and any time I do that, this great man comes to my mind.

St. Joseph is my patron saint, the name I received at my Confirmation at Easter Vigil of '06. I know that in a funny way (which I may have time to describe at a later time) the Holy Spirit chose this name for me. He is the best spiritual model for me as a husband, a father and, simply, as a man who wants more than anything to know, love and please God with his whole heart.

One particular thing about Joseph that I have always been enamored by is his lack of speech in the Gospels that mention him (i.e. Matthew and Luke). There are no direct quotes from Joseph like we find with Mary and others. Certainly, this is not because he has nothing to say.

Rather, Joseph is a man who knows that the Lord has much more to say and he allows Him to do so through his quiet obedience, work and action. By this, he carries such a silent strength.

However, as I concluded my rosary and sat back to open the Gospel of Matthew to chapter one to read about Joseph, I found something in those words that I had read several times, but had just never taken them in like this. In Matt. 1:25 we read "...  and he called his name Jesus." 

Joseph speaks!

And it is far from any idle word that issues forth from the lips of this just man. For Joseph knew well and lived the words of David, his father: " O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise" (Psalm 51:15). In a single name, Joseph shows forth the praise of the Lord, the holy name of Jesus, "Yahweh saves."

What a brilliant vocation that is given to this just man! He is honored with the fatherly role of declaring to the world the Most Holy Name of Jesus. The world persists in asking the question again and again in so many yearning ways, "What is his name? What is the name of our hope? What do we call our salvation that we, who are lost, may find it and be saved?" Joseph responds from the heights, "His name is Jesus."

Joseph's humble utterance blasts forth through the ages with the Name that creates and re-creates; the Name that can reverberate in the most stagnant hearts of men and "cast fire upon the earth" (Luke 12:49).

In one word, the Name of the Word, we witness the sole devotion of this quiet man of God: the God Who is Love, the God Who saves, Jesus who is called Christ.

This is the faith and devotion which allows a man to hear the voices of angels and to know and heed the will of the Lord God Almighty. This is deepening my devotion to this wonderful saint.

St. Joseph, foster-father of the Son of God, diligent protector of Christ, pray for us.

Drift no more, O weary souls!

In Luke 5:4 we read, "And when [Jesus] had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, 'Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.'"

On a personal level, this command from Christ makes me think of how the pursuit of Truth often feels-like putting out into the deep. Out to where "we toiled all night and took nothing!" as Simon obstinately exclaims.

Jesus had just finished preaching to the crowds right from inside Simon's boat. What did he say after that, "OK, Simon, let's go have some breakfast from the fish you caught last night...what? you did not catch anything?! Alright, just take me home. We'll talk later."? No, he came right into Simon's life.

I imagine Simon felt the same way many of us do when we get weighed down and consumed with our own efforts that we think, "Yeah, Jesus, your preachy words sound nice and holy, but I've got something far more important to deal with right now."

It feels so futile so often to even bother finding purpose any longer. But, we must let Christ work. He insists on it because he knows us so well, as he did Simon upon the lapping waves on the shores of Galilee.

Accompanied now with the guiding light of Jesus Christ, let futilty be taken under and drowned by the current of the world from whence it first stirred!

And though we have indeed toiled all through the night of our drifting souls, we must once again set our sails and determine behind Simon, "But at your word I will let down the nets."

Out to the depths with your weary souls! and let the abundance of Christ fill your hearts that they may break in an overflow of His Almighty Grace!

Come home to the Love of God.

Pax vobis