March 19, 2020

Today we celebrate the Great Feast of St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We do not hear much about St. Joseph in the Scriptures. He lived a pretty humble life as husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus. 

Reflecting on Joseph living his roles as husband and foster father, in his virtues of humility, justice, patience, perseverance and trust, we can easily reflect on his ‘sorrows.’ What are his sorrows?  They are in line with our Blessed Mother’s sorrows. 

Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable. Imagine the sorrow Joseph suffered through this.  

He could have easily been thinking "Can't a husband and father do better for his wife and Baby?" I am asked to be the guardian of Mary, her husband and the foster father of Jesus, and I can’t even provide a decent place for His birth and for Mary to be comfortable. 

Joseph suffered sorrow when he heard Simeon prophesy that Mary would be pierced with a sword of sorrow.  When you love someone, it can be harder to hear about their sufferings than to suffer yourself. 

Joseph also suffered when he had to flee with Mary and Jesus to Egypt, for safety from Herod. They became refugees in Egypt. The family life of refugees is full of sorrow. 

Being in Egypt led to the sorrows of his job, career and income. He had to leave behind his carpentry shop in Nazareth. When he left Nazareth for the census, he had no idea he would not return for many years. One sorry was wondering what would happen to his shop and tools? Would they be stolen, and his shop lost?

Secondly, he had to set up a new shop or some type of career or job for income in Egypt. Not an easy task when everything was left behind. How would he have the resources to begin?

Thirdly, without the resources where would they live in Egypt? Therefore, the haunting sorrow of not being able to provide as expected by husbands and fathers. 

Fourth, when the time came, he had to leave all behind again to travel the long distance back home not knowing what he will find left of his former life?

Then comes the sorrow of losing Jesus in the caravan journey. Imagine the sickening feeling of losing the child God the Father asked you to raise. 

Then the sorrow of Jesus saying He had to be in His Father's house. Although Joseph knew Jesus was the Son of God, it must have hurt when he realized he was not Jesus’ true father, only in intermediator. 

Then the final sorrow of his death, although a saint, he must have endured sorrow as he was dying, knowing he would never see the ministry of Jesus fulfilled after all the suffering he did to raise him. 

Joseph suffered sorrows as husband, father, in work, and in life. Yet he endured it all with love and trust. Each one of us have many sorrows, some are a parallel, some are different sorrows.

Presently we have huge sorrows with the coronavirus: finances, traveling, gatherings, cancelled weddings, what to do about funerals, inability to receive the Eucharist, business owners not knowing the future, fear, and many many other sorrows.

Let us turn to Joseph and ask him for prayers, that we have the trust, perseverance, and patience he had to live our life daily, Turing our sorrows into building the kingdom of God for eternity.