Saint Joseph
Author’s Note - I fully intended to carry on with our series on the Founding Principles of the Church this week; however, seeing as we just had the feast day of one of my all time favorite Saints, I simply couldn’t resist doing a special Elaboration on Saint Joseph. Not he is not only awesome, but he is also very important and can unfortunately be over looked. I hope you guys enjoy this special treat!
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A discussion on any Saint really has to begin with the concept of Sainthood itself and why is it so important. The Saints are living proof that, no matter how screwed up we have allowed ourselves to become or how much damage we have done to ourselves or other, there really is nothing that God cannot heal if we allow him to do so. In this way they are sources of inspiration both in their weakness and humanness as well as in the depths in which they surrendered to God, which is the perfect demonstration of his glory, greatness, and love. All the Saints serve as a shinning beacon of what God is both willing and capable of doing when we ask for his help. The Saints also have another role though. They can also teach use what to do and how to live. They are not only examples of God’s greatness, they are also demonstrators of what his greatness looks like within our world.
In the case of Saint Joseph, there are 3 qualities that he demonstrates, which are really lessons that can be applied to our current modern society. In a way it’s a shame that he doesn’t get more of a focus, because, while Mary represent the ultimate of the feminine and what it really means to be a wife and a mother. Saint Joseph represents the ultimate of the masculine and what it TRUELY means to be a husband, a father, and a man. In addition to this, he also shows us what it truly means to be a builder and a servant to both society and to God. Lets have a look.
The first thing that Saint Joseph demonstrates is masculinity at it’s finest. He shows us what being a “man’s man” really means in a few key areas. There is a lot of talk now adays about being an “alpha male” versus a “beta male”. There are some interesting points to this argument; however, this can also set a bad precedent and a misunderstanding when it comes to masculinity.
In the animal kingdom, terms like “alpha” and “beta” are used to describe the social hierarchy of the males and females based on their mating prowess. When such terms are applied to human beings the same conclusions are drawn; however, these conclusions are limited. Are they some parallels between the animal and human worlds? Sure, but in this case an incongruent parallel is drawn where the males fight other males for dominance in the social hierarchy, but this is not the highest function of masculinity. In the human domain a man gains dominance by conquering himself, not another man and it’s this quiet self mastery that Saint Joseph possessed.
Saint Joseph didn’t need to possess the biggest role in the bible. He didn’t have to bolster and dominate the story. He understood what mattered to him and therefore what his role was and performed it with excellence. It is not enough to simple have strength to lend, it is also essential to develop the wisdom to know what is worth lending your strength to. In addition to this, he also did not need to dominate others. Quite to the contrary in fact. Saint Joseph seemed to be well known and well respected by the community he served. Other men are not to be dominated, they are meant to be worked with and built up. To be able to do this is to possess true strength. Do not take this to mean the Saint Joseph was a push over though, because he was fierce in role as a protector and provider for his family.
No demon dared to come anywhere close to Jesus or Mary while Saint Joseph was alive and, just as Mary was destined to be Jesus’s mother, Saint Joseph was also destoned to be his earthly father. Anytime God needed something done, he would send an angle to Saint Joseph. He was the one who lead his family to Bethlehem. He was the one who lead them back and forth or Egypt. He was the one who provided from them both financially and emotionally. Saint Joseph shows us that being a husband and a father means selfless service and it means protecting your wife and your children. If strength is required in such an endeavor then so be it, but it not used to bolster a fragile ego, because a true man does not have a fragile ego. A true man is strong enough and discipline enough to be of service.
True confidence comes by understanding your principles and by living out the virtues that God has set forth. As you choose to forgive and show kindness and compassion, as you let go of anger and fear, your vision will begin to clear and you will begin to find true wisdom. This is when God will begin to trust you with more and more strength and power to affect your life, the lives of those around you, and the whole of human society, because this is the strength of a builder, a creator, and a visionary, which is the next things Saint Joseph has to teach us.
Saint Joseph demonstrates what we were talking about in our last Elaboration, which is applied information, knowledge, and true mastery. He was a craftsman and potentially a business owner in that trade. He delt in the real world. He worked on things that had not only provided a true value to the lives of others, but he also delt with things that have real consequence.
The intellect is very important, but it must be mastered. It can only provide for the good if it is disciplined and directed, but, most importantly, it also must be grounded in reality. One of the reasons our society has become so soft is because we don’t build anything anymore. We don’t truly create or develop things that provide function and value to human society. We need to become more well rounded in our understanding of the world. It is possible to become a master in several areas of knowledge through out our lives, we can be intellectuals and craftsmen. We can be philosophers and businesses builders. It truly doesn’t matter; however, whatever information we acquire we have to apply. We have to make sure that it increase our understanding of reality, rather thank attempting to warp it to our own design. Saint Joseph built and constructed things. He worked in the real world and if we look at the followers that Jesus selected, so did they. He had a few intellectuals sure, but the big ones were all fishermen they had knowledge of the world and delt with it in a practical way. They knew how to relate to the world as it is.
The third and most profound thing that Saint Joseph demonstrates and can therefore teach us is how to be a both a servant of man and servant of God. The hallmark of Love is service. This is not an accident. God is infinitely loving and therefore he serves infinitely. We are called to do the same. To serve those around us and to serve God and this is where Saint Joseph really shines through.
He served Mary as her husband, he served Jesus as his earthly father, he served his community as a craftsman and a builder, and he served God as the protector and provider of the Holy Family. Whenever we find ourselves struggling with a lack or an absence of love, we can always find it by choosing to give it. This is the greatest secret, love is not something that comes from the world to you, it is something that goes from you to the world. Whatever roles you have in this world, use them as an outlet and as an expression for love, kindness, forgiveness, and compassion. In all cases, ask how you can serve and glorify God and honor the dignity of his creations. This is how you become a vessel of God’s love. This is how you become a Saint. This is how you become like Saint Joseph.