St. Joseph, Patron Of The Dying
By FR. MARK MORIARTY
(Editor’s Note: Fr. Moriarty is the pastor of the Church of St. Agnes in St. Paul, Minn.)
- + + Scripture is silent about the death of St. Joseph. Joseph is last seen searching for Jesus when Jesus was separated from His parents as He stayed behind in the temple. The next event where we see the Blessed Virgin Mary present is the miracle at the wedding feast of Cana. Jesus and His disciples were invited, Mary was there, but Joseph is not mentioned. It should be noted that the foster father is absent at the first public work of Jesus.
St. Francis de Sales imagined this about St. Joseph’s death, “a saint who had loved so much during his life could not die save of love; and, having completed the office for which he had been destined, it only remained for him to say to the Eternal Father, ‘I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do’, and to the Son, ‘O my child, as Thy heavenly Father placed Thy body in my hands on the day when Thou camest into the world, so now in this day of my departure from this world, I place my soul in Thine’.”
Blessed Catherine Emmerich was granted a vision of the death of the great patriarch: St. Joseph died in the arms of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she was at the head of the deathbed and Jesus was near the breast of Joseph.
All of the above points to the reality that Joseph’s main purpose and vocation was completed before Jesus begins His public ministry. Joseph’s job was to take care of and protect Mary and Jesus until Jesus began His mission. The prophet Simeon realizes that he can depart from this world because he was able to see the Salvation of the world by seeing the baby Jesus. (Luke 2:29-32).
Similarly, Joseph could depart from this world having accomplished his mission. This is one way in which St. Joseph is the patron of a happy death. He left this world with no unfinished business.
We can die happily when we have accomplished God’s plan for us: “I have played my part, I have loved those whom God has put into my life, I have witnessed to His truth, I have glorified and given thanks to God in my prayers and actions. . . . Lord, now you let your servant go in peace.”
Having a last will and testament might help our survivors avoid squabbles and extra work, but that is not the primary way to be prepared for death. To have our affairs in order is to have our spiritual affairs in order, our vocational work in order. When we live fully according to God’s will, we die with peace and little to no regrets.
Like Joseph we should die in the presence of Jesus and Mary. To not be separated from our Lord because of grave or mortal sin means we are welcoming Jesus into our hearts and relying upon His grace and mercy. Mary will “pray for us at the hour of our death” and help us to never separate ourselves from her Son. A happy death is all about having the source of Life in our hearts, loving Him and accepting His saving truth. Dying in the state of grace allows Jesus to welcome us into His heavenly Kingdom and eternal happiness.
Do not wait to convert or change your life until the end. Those who wait for an 11th hour conversion often die at 10:45. We should want purity of heart, humility, contrition, obedience, and love now, not later. We should strive for the goal of being a saint now. If we do these things, we will be living happily now and will be happy in our death. Our Lord in His graciousness gives us many opportunities. We don’t know how many opportunities we have but let us all resolve not to miss an opportunity for His grace and His goodness.
Even though we should always be ready to meet our maker and judge, let us ask St. Joseph for the special gift of receiving the Last Rites of the Church. This will not only be a benefit to the soul entering into eternity but a great source of consolation for our loved ones. It will also afford hope to those who may be questioning the Faith or have chosen to distance themselves from Christ and His Church.