SOLEMNITY OF ST. JOSEPH - March 19
There are millions of saints that we paint in royal red because they shed blood as martyrs of Christ, witnesses to His own gift of His life. There are thousands of saints painted in shining gold because they were brilliant with miracles, eloquent as preachers, or attractive as missionaries. Thousands of saints are pictured with pen, scroll, ruler or book because they were great teachers, scientists, founders of schools or monasteries or convents or hospitals. Many saints were authors of great books that are still read by thousands today.
Numerous other saints are painted in bright colors because they were great leaders, kings, queens, emperors, knights in shining armor, even generals of armies like the famous young girl Joan of Arc, or brightly robed bishops, popes, abbots, mother superiors and father superiors. Take just one long look at the choirs of saints in heaven, and you are dazzled by all the color, all the talent, all the most tremendous of human accomplishments. Then we come to today’s saint. What dazzling colors do we find for him? Not the red of martyrs nor the scroll of a great author.
No – just a small workshop, a little hut with a battered shingle over the door. It says, “Joseph and Son, Carpenters.” But oh, which of the saints in heaven has the last laugh when those great millions start telling stories of their earthly accomplishments? Isn’t the humble carpenter, St. Joseph? Which of the other saints, except Blessed Mother Mary, can say, “Every day for almost 30 years, I sat at table with the growing boy who was the son of God. Daily I watched Him develop into manhood; I taught Him His prayers; I showed Him how to make chairs and tables. I couldn’t count the times I held Him in my arms when He was little; the times He hugged me and kissed me; the meals we ate together, the miles we traveled together, the joy we had in working together.
But Joseph, you are and always were a humble man, a good and holy man. As you reflect on your memories of the boy Jesus, you thank those millions of saints for "the great honors you pay to the Boy that we raised, Mary and I".
St. Joseph, pray for us....
-From Pray Today's Gospel, Mischke/Mischke
