St. Joseph doesn’t get a whole lot of attention, but he’s really a model of what a man should be. His story is woven into the Gospels. First, he’s a gentleman:
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.
He’s unwilling to associate himself with sin, but he will not embarrass a lady. Next, he remains open to the words of the Lord and he obeys those words:
But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
“BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.”
And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
Next, he was a law-abiding man. He lived in an occupied territory, but he respected the civil authority:
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.
This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.
Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.
This proved a good example to his son, who would later say:
“Render to Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Joseph went to great lengths, literally, to protect his family:
So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt.
Next, Joseph did what was required of him by his religion:
And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS.”
As a father, he kept up the family tradition with regard to his faith:
Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast;
Joseph was a carpenter, and he probably taught his son the trade. Other than that, we don’t know much about his work, but that’s sort of the point. He labored quietly, and the Gospels suggest that he was pretty unremarkable. Just another craftsman and small business owner, working to take care of his family:
They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?”
Just an average Joe. He was tossed into situations way over his head — try raising the Son of God — but he kept plugging away, doing the best he could, with the grace of God. And he’s still hard at work in the real estate business.
I got thinking about this because of a prayer my mom sent me. I printed it out and hung it on my desk at work, and I say the prayer every day. Here it is:
Prayer to St. Joseph by Pope St. Pius X:
Glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations;to work with gratitude and joy, considering it an honor to employ and develop, by means of labor, the gifts received from God, without recoiling before weariness or difficulties; to work, above all, with purity of intention, and with detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account which must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all after thy example, O Patriarch St, Joseph. Such shall be my watchword in life and death. Amen.
Amen. Back to work!
