We here at St Jude parish have been celebrating a novena to St Joseph leading up to his feast day today. We also are in the midst of celebrating the year of St Joseph, as declared by Pope Francis. And it was not too long ago that St Joseph was added to the Eucharistic prayers, alongside Mary, his spouse. However, we may find it interesting that in the history of the Church, St Joseph was not given much attention for many centuries. It was not only until the 16th century in the era of the Protestant Reformation that devotions to St Joseph were encouraged by the Church in a big way, with Joseph seen as the ideal protector and provider for the Holy Family. In 1870, Pope Pius IX declared Joseph as the patron on the Universal Church. In addition to his feast day that we celebrate today on March 19th each year, we also celebrate him as Joseph the Worker on May 1 each year, a feast day instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1955.
As the Gospel relates to us today on the feast of St Joseph, he was presented with a terrible predicament when he discovered Mary’s pregnancy, knowing that he was not the father. According to the law, Mary could be stoned to death. Yet, even not knowing any details, Joseph was willing to break off their relationship quietly and not subject her to shame or danger. When the angel explains the situation to him in a dream, Joseph proceeds to stand by Mary.
Joseph is a man of virtue and faith. He is also a hard working man, a carpenter from an insignificant town in Galilee. We don’t know a lot of details about Joseph. We don’t know for sure if he had died by the time of Jesus’ passion and journey to cross, although that is assumed to be the case by many. Reflecting Joseph’s humility and simplicity of faith, he is not by any means the center of attention in the Gospel narrative. We remember Joseph today in a special way on his feast day. St Joseph - pray for us.
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