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March 19th is the Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of Mary, the man who raised Jesus. It’s a universal feast since Joseph is the patron saint of the whole Catholic Church. It is interesting how much this mysterious man captures the hearts and minds of the whole church Joseph is the silent saint. We know very little about him. We know he was a carpenter. We know he married Mary and had doubts and fears when he found out she was pregnant. We know he was descended from King David. But other than that we know nothing about him. He never speaks in the scriptures. But he did listen. He listened to God. He listened to God when he was asked not to send Mary away. He listened to God when he had to flee Bethlehem and become a refugee in Egypt, and he listened to God when it was time to return to Israel and begin life again. So how did such a silent saint become so popular? No doubt his role in salvation history, as a member of the Holy Family—responsible for caring for Mary and raising Jesus—is a part of the answer, but that can’t be all of it. John the Baptist is also crucial in salvation history, and while he is much revered, he is not beloved in quite the same way by so many ordinary Catholics. Ordinary Catholics all over the world love Joseph. Maybe it’s because Joseph, too, was “ordinary.” Joseph is remembered for being a good husband and a good parent. He is remembered for dedicating himself to his work—work he did with his hands. And he is remembered for his extra-ordinary obedience to God in that ordinary life. He is a model for the great majority of saints. Most saints, most Christians, are like Joseph: They work, they love their families, they raise their children as best they can, and they try to be faithful to God in all of that. Most people are “quiet” saints. History is full of them. We usually don’t know their stories precisely because they are “ordinary” and “quiet.” Maybe Christians through the ages have seen in Joseph a reflection of themselves. He was a good man who did his best and was devoted to God. That’s it. And that’s all God wanted. God wanted someone to be a good husband, father, and worker. God found Joseph, and Joseph stepped up to the plate. Most of us know saints like Joseph. Few of us know saints like the rest of them: the saints who do spectacular things, or write incredible books, or even give their lives for the faith. We need them too. But we are raised by people like St. Joseph, we are taught the faith by people like St. Joseph, and the world functions because people dedicate themselves to their task, whatever it may be, as Joseph did. The great love that the Church has for St. Joseph is probably a reflection of the great love that God has for this quiet man. Joseph did what God asked without much fanfare, just as most good people do. And while it can seem that the quiet saints are forgotten by history, they are certainly not forgotten by God. Maybe in the kingdom, God welcomes all the “quiet” saints the way he welcomed Joseph. Maybe the Church knows this deep down, and that’s why Joseph has such a place of honor in our hearts. |
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