The Bible doesn’t devote a lot of ink to St
Joseph.
There’s a lot we don’t know about him.
How old he was when Mary was betrothed to him.
His life before then.
When or how he died.
But the Bible does tell us, directly and
indirectly, all we need to know.
It tells us Joseph was of the House of
David, from Bethlehem.
More importantly, it tells us that he was a
righteous man.
A man who followed the law of God and
Moses.
It shows us that he was humble,
compassionate and merciful.
What a shock when he found
that his young wife-to-be was pregnant.
What hurt, what anger.
What an insult to his
dignity.
And yet he showed his
humility, his compassion and his mercy.
He decided not to expose her
to shame.
Or even worse—to the
punishment of the law.
Last Sunday we heard the
story of what Jesus did
When the Pharisees brought
him a woman caught in adultery.
The law allowed stoning, but
he showed her compassion and mercy.
Today we see Joseph, 30 years
earlier, likewise guided by the Spirit.
And Joseph was a man of great
faith.
When he heard God’s messages
he accepted them and acted on them.
He took Mary as his wife
despite her pregnancy.
He protected Mary and Jesus
by taking them into exile in Egypt.
He brought them back when it
was safe.
He provided for them.
Joseph taught Jesus as a
father teaches his son.
And Jesus grew in wisdom and knowledge.
Years later, Jesus came back to teach in
Nazareth.
The people were impressed with his words
and his deeds.
But then they said, Where does he get all this?
Isn’t this the son of Joseph
the carpenter?
Their comments were meant to be demeaning.
But truly, Jesus had gotten a lot
From being the son of that humble
carpenter.
In 1868 some German folks who had settled
here in DC
Decided to form a new parish.
In choosing a patron for their parish they
decided upon St Joseph.
A righteous, humble, merciful,
compassionate, strong, man of faith.
They were somewhat prescient in their
choice.
Just two years later, Pope Pius IX proclaimed
Joseph
Patron of the entire Universal Church.
He was already the patron of thousands of
other groups and causes. Countries, cities, parishes, schools and hospitals.
Patron of workers and patron of a happy
death.
In the secular realm we have cities named
St Joseph and San Jose.
St Joseph is honored with two Feast Days.
Primarily March 19, today, as St Joseph, Husband of Mary.
But also May 1, as St Joseph the Worker.
And he’s also honored on the Feast of the Holy Family,
The Sunday after Christmas.
Here we are on St Joseph’s Day, in that parish founded in 1868.
This year is also the 125th
Anniversary of this church building.
With its statues and paintings honoring
Joseph’s unique service.
This mural with him knocking on the door of
the inn in Bethlehem.
That large painting in the vestibule.
Showing Mary and Jesus comforting him in that
happy death.
And so it’s a special day of celebration
for us.
We once had St Joseph’s School, standing
just North of the rectory.
That building was torn down in 1959.
But some of the alumni from that school are
here with us today. Joining us in celebrating and honoring our patron—our model.
The Bible makes it clear that other saints
had their faults.
Peter, James, John—all the
apostles—certainly St Paul.
Joseph must have had faults too, but none
are mentioned.
Other than his wife, what more perfect
patron could we choose.
And what more powerful intercessor could we
choose.
The man who God Himself chose to be the
foster father of Jesus.
The man who loved and protected Mary and
Jesus.
The man who Jesus honored and obeyed.
Who guided Jesus every day.
Throughout his childhood and into
adulthood.
For somewhere between twelve and thirty
years.
What a bond they must have created between
them.
Surely Joseph holds a very special place in
the heart of Jesus.
And it’s most fitting that he hold a
special place in our hearts too.
Feast of St Joseph
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