Patron Saint of the Slog

Feast of St. Joseph

Readings 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16; Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22; Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a

The other day I saw a headline that referred to Doug Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris’ partner, as the “first gentleman.”  Maybe I just had not heard that term used before but it caught my attention.  It reminded me a bit of the name of today’s feast day.  The Church calls it the “Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary.”  Joseph was kind of the “first gentleman” or “first husband” of the Christian scriptures.

Now I do not know exactly how patron saints are chosen by the church, but St. Joseph is the patron saint of families, travelers, house buyers/sellers, immigrants, tradespeople, and the working class (among others).  That’s a lot of people praying to him for intercession!

What I have always loved about Joseph is that he played a supporting role.  In our culture that values the big splash, the first place finisher and the leading role, Joseph is a refreshing alternative.  He is a background sort of person, and he makes sure that others have what they need to do their roles well.  I can relate to this guy.

Moreover, Joseph has no speaking lines in the gospels, and after an initial appearance in the scriptures, he disappears to live an ordinary life.  And that qualifies him for sainthood?  Yes!  I often think of the quote from Mother Theresa when I think of Joseph, “Small acts done with great love will change the world.”  That’s what he provides to the folks around him.  Small acts.

I have also always appreciated the faithfulness of Joseph’s commitment.  When his fiancee, Mary, tells him that she is ALREADY pregnant, he goes forward anyway – trusting something that he does not understand and putting his own future and reputation on the line.  When his son is born, his family comes under threat and they must flee for safety.  He could have easily said, “This is not what I signed up for!”  But he doesn’t.  He tries to do the next right thing.

And I am not sure that life got any easier for Joseph.  We hear about the incident when Jesus was an adolescent where he got separated from his parents and they found him talking with the rabbis in the temple.  I am sure that Joseph knew that his son was “different.”  This is hard for any parent, grandparent or caregiver.  And then we’re told in Mark’s gospel that as Jesus came into his own, his family thought that Jesus was “out of his mind” due to what he was saying and who he was hanging around with.  I can imagine Joseph as a parent struggling to embrace (or maybe even understand) the path his son had chosen.

Maybe you can relate to Joseph too.

I like that Joseph shows up in our Lenten journey about half way through.  I don’t know about you, but I start to waver on my “Lenten commitments” right about now.  Some of the initial zest and enthusiasm I had on Ash Wednesday is gone, and Easter seems a long way off.  We’re right in the middle of things.  The slog of life.

Joseph is the patron saint of the slog for me.  He does nothing special.  Says nothing profound.  Goes to work each day.  Tries to support and love his family.  Struggles to love and understand those around him.  Tries to be faithful to God in the everyday circumstances of life – even the ones he did not sign up for.

For today, just sit quietly with Joseph’s life. Let it reveal something about yours.  Remember that small acts of love can change the world and that you do not have to do anything grand or noteworthy to be faithful.  You just need to be where you are and stay faithful to what you have been called to do.