Saint Joseph

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Happy Feast Day Saint Joseph

The silence of Saint Joseph is given a special emphasis. His silence is steeped in contemplation of the mystery of God in an attitude of total availability to divine desires. It is a silence thanks to which Joseph, in unison with Mary, watches over the Word of God, known through the Sacred Scriptures, continuously comparing it with the events of the life of Jesus; a silence woven of constant prayer, a prayer of blessing of the Lord, of the adoration of His holy will and of unreserved entrustment to his providence. It is no exaggeration to think that it was precisely from his "father" Joseph that Jesus learned -- at the human level -- that steadfast interiority which is a presupposition of authentic justice.... Let us allow ourselves to be "filled" with Saint Joseph's silence! In a world that is often too noisy, that encourages neither recollection nor listening to God's voice.

Pope Benedict XVI
Angelus
December 18, 2005

In 1873 in Santa Fe New Mexico, construction of a Church called 'Our Lady of Light' began. When it was almost completed, a grievous error was discovered. They had forgotten to include an access to the very high loft. The nuns decided to start a Novena to St. Joseph in hopes of finding a solution to this oversight. On the last day of the Novena, a stranger arrived and offered to build a staircase. The nuns accepted his offer. The only tools he had were a hammer, saw, and t-square. Several months later, the man completed it and he promptly vanished. The circular staircase makes two 360 degree turns and has no center supporting pole. No nails were used and the wood did not come from the local area. Engineers cannot account for the seemingly miraculous staircase which having no center support should collapse. But, stand it does.

The Body and Tomb of St. Joseph
"In an ecstasy, a Saint has seen the body of St. Joseph preserved intact in a tomb, the site of which is yet unknown. The more the glorious spouse of the most Blessed Virgin is honored, the sooner will the finding of his body take place, which will be a day of great joy for the Church." 

Another ancient tradition states that the tomb of St. Joseph, now empty, is in the Valley of Josaphat. St. Jerome, on the other hand, was of the opinion that St. Joseph's tomb is within the boundaries of the Garden of Gethsemane. 

Saint Joseph's Oratory in Montreal, Canada is a famous landmark and attraction for pilgrims from all over the world. The story of it's construction and the life of Blessed Andre Bessette, the simple and humble brother who had it built, is an inspiration. Many miraculous cures had occurred at this shrine. It can be 'visited' at Saint Joseph's Oratory.

Blessed Brother Andre Bassette

Relatively little is known about the life of St. Joseph except for what is written in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The genealogy of both Gospels place him in the line of David. Though St. Joseph was descended from royalty, it was not a title to rank or riches. Everything known about Joseph suggests he was poor, for example, the offering of only two turtle doves at the Temple. Joseph's family belonged to Bethlehem of Judea, but he had moved to Nazareth in Galilee to take up the occupation of a builder. There is no reason to suggest he was older than a normal age of 20-24 when he wed Mary, who would have been 15-20. Matthew mentions the annunciation to Joseph of Mary's conception, the visit of the Magi, the flight to Egypt and the return to Nazareth. Luke fills in the details of the birth of Christ, the Presentation and the temporary loss of Jesus in Jerusalem at the age of twelve. After that, Joseph disappears from the pages of the Gospel. Since he is not mentioned during the ministry of Jesus or at the Passion, it is assumed that he had already died by that point. The Gospels are really the only reliable source of information on Joseph's life and though they are brief, they give a good outline of his character. St. Joseph was a faithful, patient man, obedient to the demands of God and willingly accepting of hardships. Matthew calls him "a just man", illustrated by his loyalty in protecting and providing for his family. In 1870, Pope Pius IX proclaimed Joseph as the Patron of the universal Church, honoring his role of support, protection and guidance and named March 19 as "the [heavenly] birthday of St Joseph". Pius XII added a second feast of Joseph the Worker, which is celebrated May 1st, the traditional Labor Day. Saint Joseph was chosen by God to be Jesus's father on earth. God knew that Jesus would need a foster father to raise Him and teach Him. The Bible tells us that he was a 'just man.' That means he was a good man, honest, fair, and God-loving. After an angel told Mary that she would be the Mother of God, Saint Joseph wondered what to do. An angel appeared to him in a dream and told him not to worry, that the child was the Messiah, conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph was to be her husband and protect the child as He grew. Joseph decided to trust the angel and God. He married Mary and took her into his home. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the angel appeared to Joseph again, warning him that the Child was in danger. Joseph obeyed the angel's message again, and took his family to Egypt to escape from Herod's soldiers. After many years, the Holy Family finally returned to their home village of Nazareth. Not much else is known about Saint Joseph, the 30 years between the Nativity and the beginning of Jesus' travelling and teaching are called 'the hidden years.' The only other event the Bible tells us about the Child Jesus' life and about Saint Joseph is the Finding in the Temple, when Jesus was missing for three days and finally Joseph and Mary found Him in the Temple teaching the scribes and elders. Imagine how worried they must have been! God had told them to look after the Child, and they lost Him in a crowd. Saint Joseph must have felt that he hadn't done a very good job. When they found Him, they scolded Him a little and returned home to Nazareth. After this, Jesus returned home with Mary and Joseph and 'was subject to them.' That means He was obedient and respectful of their parental authority. Saint Joseph was probably older than Mary, and probably died before Jesus began His ministry. As a saint in Heaven he still acts as a husband and father to his family and the Church, and will intercede for us on many occasions. He is invoked for aid in selling homes, for help to the poor, support and protection of fathers and families and is the patron of many countires. In 1870 Pope Pius IX declared him patron of the Universal Church.

Saint Joseph, the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and foster father of our Blessed Lord was a descendant of King David. This fulfilled the scripture prophecy that the Messiah would come from 'the house of David.' Of all the men in the world throughout history, a simple village carpenter named Joseph was the one chosen to help raise the Child Jesus to adulthood. In his faithful, loving care was entrusted the childhood and youth of the Redeemer of the world. Not much more is actually known about the life of Saint Joseph. But we are sure that he must have been a good and honourable man to be so favoured by God. After the Mother of God herself, no one has ever been so blessed with virtues as Saint Joseph. In purity of heart, in chastity of life, in humility, patience, fortitude, gentleness and manliness of character, he shows us the perfect model of the true Christian. Because Saint Joseph was the representative of our Heavenly Father on earth, because he acted as Christ's father in His life on earth, he is the divinely appointed head of the Holy Family. The Holy Family; of Saint Joseph, The Blessed Mother and the Son of God is the beginning and the model for the great Family of God, His Church here on earth. In this way, Saint Joseph is father to all of us. A model for fathers, Saint Joseph is invoked as a protector of the family. A carpenter by trade, he has been declared the patron saint of all working people, of craftsmen and of the poor. He is the model of a perfect Christian life and the patron of a happy death. His patronage also extends over the Mystical Body of Christ, over the Christian family, the Christian school, and all individuals who in their need appeal to his charity and powerful intercession, especially at the hour of death.

Saint Joseph is such a well known and well loved saint, that there is an abundance of material available about him. Societies and books spread his devotion and huge churches honor his name. Saint Joseph's Oratory in Montreal, Canada is perhaps the most famous of his shrines. It was founded by a humble Holy Cross Brother, Blessed Brother Andre Bassette whose devotion to Saint Joseph was very well known. Despite the hardships the Holy Cross superiors and some of the other clerics subjected Brother Andre to, he persevered in his devotion to Saint Joseph all the while remaining obedient to his superiors of the Order.