May 1, Feast of St. Joseph the Worker . Lectionary # 559

Scripture: May 1, St. Joseph the Worker, Lectionary # 559. Genesis 1:26-2:3
or Colossians 3:14.15.17.23-24. Psalm 90:2.3-4, 12-13, 14-16. Matthew
13:54-58.

If we have not thought of a saint who could help us in times of doubt and
uncertainty or when sickness and death are all too near because of a friend
or relative approaching their last moments, we should have recourse to St.
Joseph. His own troubled heart and mind at the pregnancy of his spouse,
and his always avoiding the envious puppet king who would snuff out the
life of the newborn son of Mary are enough to trust that this is a saint
who would understand and who would protect us from the dangers that
surround us and from our own self doubt or doubts about the Church or
religion in general.

His own trust in God brought him through the great anxiety he had over
Mary's situation. He knew he was not the father of the child being formed
in her. God spoke to him through his dreams and his intuitions. They both
served him and the mother and child when threats from Herod came his way.
No wonder he is the Protector of the Holy Family and of the Church. He was
Mary's consolation and support during the limited time he had with her and
Jesus. His foresight and prudence were always what took them out of
dangerous situations.

We know him as a carpenter, perhaps, it is better to speak of him as a
master craftsmen who built houses as we learn from an apocryphal Gospel
(Protevangelium Jacobi). We do not picture him today as an old man as the
holy cards used to portray him, but as a vibrant worker who could take care
of a family and also protect that family from unjust leaders. He was a
listener; a strong man chosen by God to give the Davidic claim to Mary's
son (see Matthew 1:16-17 and 18-25). We recall that when the Magi came
they found the couple with the child in a home--probably built or
refashioned by Joseph himself.

From another simple and touching apocrypha called "Joseph the Carpenter" we
hear of his death in great detail. It is probably from this writing that
Joseph was chosen to be the saint to whom we prayed for a "happy", that is,
a peaceful death and even had short prayers for that solemn occasion in
someone's life.

Today's Gospel just gives us the minimal information about Joseph saying
that he was the carpenter and was known as the husband of Mary. The people
from Nazareth are in amazement that Jesus his adopted son would have such
miraculous power and wisdom. They did not recognize the talent that was
there among them from the beginning. They unknowingly answer their own
questions about him, namely, that he is known as the son of the carpenter
and that he followed his foster-father as a carpenter (see Mark 6:3). They
also failed to see that Joseph and Mary were an extraordinary couple who
would enable this child to grow in wisdom, grace, and physical stature
before God and people (see Luke 2:51-52). Should not they have realized
that this family of Mary and Joseph made Jesus to be who he is and was as
he grew under their tutelage? We too often forget about his greatness as
the father-figure in the holy family. Perhaps, too, we forget about the
Holy Spirit in our prayers; the Spirit led all three of them in the mystery
shared by them, that of the Incarnation.Today's liturgical celebration can
help us to be more aware of the greatness of this silent saint named
Joseph. We too can become wise and prudent agents of God's redeeming love
by pondering over his simplicity, strength, and openness to the Holy
Spirit.