A Beacon Of Light… Advent And St. Joseph

• 3 years ago

By FR. RICHARD D. BRETON JR.

(Editor’s Note: Fr. Richard D. Breton Jr. is a priest of the Diocese of Norwich, Conn. He is currently the parochial vicar of St. Andrew Parish in Colchester and St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Lebanon. He received his BA in religious studies and his MA in dogmatic theology from Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, Conn.)

In last week’s column we made a little journey with Mary. This week we will journey with St. Joseph. St. Joseph can help us to make Advent a time of reflection.

When I was a child, I oversaw setting up the family manger scene. I couldn’t wait until Advent because soon I would have the responsibility of setting up the manger. I would look at each piece of the Nativity and wonder how the figure experienced the Birth of Christ. I would imagine the journey to Bethlehem and the joy that must have been felt as the sight of the Christ Child. I would especially admire Joseph. He had a very important responsibility.

As Christmas approached, I would fill with excitement in anticipation of the Baby Jesus being placed in the manger. As a child it was my responsibility to also say the prayer to bless our home Nativity set.

There are many reasons why St. Joseph should be part of our journey, but most importantly because he can teach us how to live some of the virtues in our lives.

The spiritual life is a pilgrimage along the path to the heavenly Kingdom. Within the course of our pilgrim way, we are given special gifts to assist us. These gifts are called virtues. A virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do good. The life of St. Joseph is filled with virtuous moments and examples we can use in our own lives. Let us reflect on the life of St. Joseph.

The first virtue we will examine of St. Joseph’s life is humility. Nowhere in the Bible do we hear a word from this saintly man. Even though he never spoke, he spoke volumes. St. Joseph’s spirituality was evident in his works and actions. St. Joseph teaches us that humility is next to Godliness. Today society is consumed with noise. This noise distracts human souls and often can lead to chaos in a person’s life. St. Joseph teaches us that we must have moments of quiet to hear the Word of God.

To do this demands humility. When the Angel Gabriel appeared to St. Joseph in a dream, St. Joseph didn’t speak but humbled himself and listened intently to the angel’s message. Afterward he did as the angel commanded and took Mary into his home. St. Joseph teaches us that our actions speak louder than our words and a humble heart is necessary to hear the word of God.

True Joy And Happiness

The second virtuous aspect of St. Joseph was reverence. St. Joseph was the foster father of Jesus and as a father he would have taught Jesus how to pray the Jewish prayers. This requires the virtue of reverence. The virtue of reverence instills in us a dependency on God. The virtue of reverence assisted St. Joseph in the extraordinary role he played in the history of salvation. He was both the spouse of Mary, the Mother of God, as well as the foster father of Jesus, the Son of the living God.

St. Joseph taught Jesus to speak and to address God as “Abba” — meaning “father.” St. Joseph’s example of prayerful reverence can help us to look beyond the buying, having, and possessing. He can help us to realize that true joy and happiness do not come from having things, but in possessing God. To hold the Child Jesus in our arms and in our hearts is worth more than all the money and possessions of the entire world. Good St. Joseph can teach us this simple but profound lesson!

In a certain sense St. Joseph taught Jesus to use the human words to talk to the Heavenly Father — this is prayer. Therefore, if St. Joseph taught Jesus how to pray, how much could he teach me how to pray if I simply ask for his help?

Start now: St. Joseph, teach me how to pray! May this time of Advent instill in us a greater sense of reverence and dependence on the Lord!

The third virtue exemplified in the life of St. Joseph is that of fortitude, or courage. Fortitude is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This gift is also known as courage, or, as St. Thomas Aquinas refers to it, as endurance. Fortitude enables us to stand up for what is right in the sight of God.

St. Joseph gave us a wonderful example of this in the Infancy Narrative. When the Angel Gabriel appeared to him two times, both in a dream, he was courageous and did as the angel had commanded. St. Joseph exercised his willingness to defend the faith. This willingness may include rejection, persecution, verbal abuse, or even physical harm. This gift strengthens our willingness to battle for the faith. Fortitude is the gift of the Holy Spirit that enabled many to become martyrs for the faith. This gift is especially important today as we live through such difficult times.

May we grow in fortitude and courage this Advent! In a society where too many men shirk their obligations toward their wives, children, and family, St. Joseph shines as a model of courage and fortitude. He traveled many miles in the cold and wind, only to meet rejection, until he found refuge in an animal shelter for the birth of Christ.

Faced with so many difficulties, St. Joseph stood tall and confronted the obstacles with manly courage. May the men of the present generation lift their gaze to the gentle but courageous man of God — good St. Joseph! St. Joseph both protected and provided for the Holy Family. He was a hard worker — exercising the trade of a carpenter. He earned the bread he made with the sweat of his brow. He thought not of himself but of how he could best provide for and protect the family that God had entrusted to his care.

After the birth of Christ St. Joseph was warned in a dream to flee Bethlehem. This was because King Herod decreed that all the firstborn male boys, two and under, would be slaughtered. We celebrate this on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, which is December 28. St. Joseph protected Jesus from the insanity of King Herod, securing our redemption in Christ Jesus.

The Gods Of Our Culture

As we draw close to Christmas, let us ask St. Joseph to provide and protect our spiritual lives. Materialism, consumerism, hedonism are the gods of the present culture. These suffocate spirituality. To arrive at a true and authentic devotion to Mary, St. Joseph can serve as a powerful bridge. Aside from Jesus Himself, nobody on Earth knew, understood, cherished, and loved the Blessed Virgin Mary more than St. Joseph. Turn to St. Joseph and beg him for the grace of greater knowledge and love for Mary, his beloved spouse. Your devotion to Mary will make a huge jump!

Turn to St. Joseph and beg him for the grace to live out the virtues and intimate love of Christ. In this way, we will love Jesus more ardently and follow Him more closely.

The Holy Family united in Mary, Joseph, and the Christ Child is recognized, honored, and loved, thus completing within us our desire to know them. May St. Joseph open your hearts to the immense treasures that God has in store for you this Advent Season! The Lord can do amazing things with our lives if we let Him. Maybe He is planning to change your life this Christmas.

May this Advent Season be a time of exploration! Open our hearts, minds, and souls! Let Jesus be born in the depths of your heart this Christmas!