St. Joseph
Feastday: March 19, May 1
Patron of the Universal Church
Everything we know about the husband of Mary
and the foster father of Jesus comes from Scripture
and that has seemed too little for those who made
up legends about him.
We know he was a carpenter, a working man, for
the skeptical Nazarenes ask about Jesus, "Is this not
the carpenter's son?" (Matthew 13:55). He wasn't
rich for when he took Jesus to the Temple to be
circumcised and Mary to be purified he offered the
sacrifice of two turtledoves or a pair of pigeons,
allowed only for those who could not afford a lamb
(Luke 2:24).
Despite his humble work and means, Joseph came
from a royal lineage. Luke and Matthew disagree
some about the details of Joseph's genealogy but
they both mark his descent from David, the greatest
king of Israel (Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38).
Indeed the angel who first tells Joseph about Jesus
greets him as "son of David," a royal title used also
for Jesus.
We know Joseph was a compassionate, caring man.
When he discovered Mary was pregnant after they
had been betrothed, he knew the child was not his
but was as yet unaware that she was carrying the
Son of God. He planned to divorce Mary according
to the law but he was concerned for her suffering and
safety. He knew that women accused to adultery could be stoned to death, so he decided to
divorce her quietly and not expose her to shame or cruelty (Matthew 1:19-25).
We know Joseph was man of faith, obedient to whatever God asked of him without knowing the
outcome. When the angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him the truth about the child
Mary was carrying, Joseph immediately and without question or concern for gossip, took Mary as
his wife. When the angel came again to tell him that his family was in danger, he immediately left
everything he owned, all his family and friends, and fled to a strange country with his young wife
and the baby. He waited in Egypt without question until the angel told him it was safe to go back
(Matthew 2:13-23).
We know Joseph loved Jesus. His one concern was for the safety of this child entrusted to him.
Not only did he leave his home to protect Jesus, but upon his return settled in the obscure town
of Nazareth out of fear for his life. When Jesus stayed in the Temple we are told Joseph (along
with Mary) searched with great anxiety for three days for him (Luke 2:48). We also know that
Joseph treated Jesus as his own son for over and over the people of Nazareth say of Jesus, "Is
this not the son of Joseph?" (Luke 4:22)
We know Joseph respected God. He followed God's commands in handling the situation with Mary
and going to Jerusalem to have Jesus circumcised and Mary purified after Jesus' birth. We are
told that he took his family to Jerusalem every year for Passover, something that could not have
been easy for a working man.
Since Joseph does not appear in Jesus' public life, at his death, or resurrection, many historians
believe Joseph probably had died before Jesus entered public ministry.
Joseph is the patron of the dying because, assuming he died before Jesus' public life, he died with
Jesus and Mary close to him, the way we all would like to leave this earth.
Joseph is also patron of the universal Church, fathers, carpenters, and social justice.
We celebrate two feast days for Joseph: March 19 for Joseph the Husband of Mary and May 1 for
Joseph the Worker.
There is much we wish we could know about Joseph -- where and when he was born, how he
spent his days, when and how he died. But Scripture has left us with the most important
knowledge: who he was -- "a righteous man" (Matthew 1:18).
In His Footsteps
Joseph was foster father to Jesus. There are many children separated from families and parents
who need foster parents. Please consider contacting your local Catholic Charities or Division of
Family Services about becoming a foster parent.
Prayer
Saint Joseph, patron of the universal Church, watch over the Church as carefully as you watched
over Jesus, help protect it and guide it as you did with your adopted son. Amen
Feastday: March 19, May 1
Patron of the Universal Church
Everything we know about the husband of Mary
and the foster father of Jesus comes from Scripture
and that has seemed too little for those who made
up legends about him.
We know he was a carpenter, a working man, for
the skeptical Nazarenes ask about Jesus, "Is this not
the carpenter's son?" (Matthew 13:55). He wasn't
rich for when he took Jesus to the Temple to be
circumcised and Mary to be purified he offered the
sacrifice of two turtledoves or a pair of pigeons,
allowed only for those who could not afford a lamb
(Luke 2:24).
Despite his humble work and means, Joseph came
from a royal lineage. Luke and Matthew disagree
some about the details of Joseph's genealogy but
they both mark his descent from David, the greatest
king of Israel (Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38).
Indeed the angel who first tells Joseph about Jesus
greets him as "son of David," a royal title used also
for Jesus.
We know Joseph was a compassionate, caring man.
When he discovered Mary was pregnant after they
had been betrothed, he knew the child was not his
but was as yet unaware that she was carrying the
Son of God. He planned to divorce Mary according
to the law but he was concerned for her suffering and
safety. He knew that women accused to adultery could be stoned to death, so he decided to
divorce her quietly and not expose her to shame or cruelty (Matthew 1:19-25).
We know Joseph was man of faith, obedient to whatever God asked of him without knowing the
outcome. When the angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him the truth about the child
Mary was carrying, Joseph immediately and without question or concern for gossip, took Mary as
his wife. When the angel came again to tell him that his family was in danger, he immediately left
everything he owned, all his family and friends, and fled to a strange country with his young wife
and the baby. He waited in Egypt without question until the angel told him it was safe to go back
(Matthew 2:13-23).
We know Joseph loved Jesus. His one concern was for the safety of this child entrusted to him.
Not only did he leave his home to protect Jesus, but upon his return settled in the obscure town
of Nazareth out of fear for his life. When Jesus stayed in the Temple we are told Joseph (along
with Mary) searched with great anxiety for three days for him (Luke 2:48). We also know that
Joseph treated Jesus as his own son for over and over the people of Nazareth say of Jesus, "Is
this not the son of Joseph?" (Luke 4:22)
We know Joseph respected God. He followed God's commands in handling the situation with Mary
and going to Jerusalem to have Jesus circumcised and Mary purified after Jesus' birth. We are
told that he took his family to Jerusalem every year for Passover, something that could not have
been easy for a working man.
Since Joseph does not appear in Jesus' public life, at his death, or resurrection, many historians
believe Joseph probably had died before Jesus entered public ministry.
Joseph is the patron of the dying because, assuming he died before Jesus' public life, he died with
Jesus and Mary close to him, the way we all would like to leave this earth.
Joseph is also patron of the universal Church, fathers, carpenters, and social justice.
We celebrate two feast days for Joseph: March 19 for Joseph the Husband of Mary and May 1 for
Joseph the Worker.
There is much we wish we could know about Joseph -- where and when he was born, how he
spent his days, when and how he died. But Scripture has left us with the most important
knowledge: who he was -- "a righteous man" (Matthew 1:18).
In His Footsteps
Joseph was foster father to Jesus. There are many children separated from families and parents
who need foster parents. Please consider contacting your local Catholic Charities or Division of
Family Services about becoming a foster parent.
Prayer
Saint Joseph, patron of the universal Church, watch over the Church as carefully as you watched
over Jesus, help protect it and guide it as you did with your adopted son. Amen
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