Joseph's Way

March 17, 2011 by Pat Gohn

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The Church Entrusted to St. Joseph
The Gospels never record a single word spoken by Joseph, only his actions.

. . . The aura of silence that envelopes Joseph . . . reveals the inner portrait of the man. The Gospels speak exclusively of what Joseph "did." Still, they allow us to discover his "actions"— shrouded in silence as they are—an aura of deep contemplation (Redemptoris Custos, par. 25).

Joseph presents laypeople with the well-lived life: a harmony between contemplation and activity, prayer and work; ora et labora. Time after time, we witness Joseph's hearkening to God's Word, his prompt action, and perfect charity.

Joseph's way is worthy of imitation . . . to be a genuine follower of Christ "it is enough to have the common, simple and human virtues, but they need to be true and authentic" (Redemptoris Custos, par. 24).

Joseph, the humble, silent, "just man" is honored daily at Mass in the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I), listed after Mary, and before the apostles.

March 19 celebrates the feast of St. Joseph, chaste spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and foster-father to the Child Jesus. Let us commend ourselves to his patronage in prayer:

Most beloved father, dispel the evil of falsehood and sin . . . graciously assist us from heaven in our struggle with the powers of darkness . . . and just as once you saved the Child Jesus from mortal danger, so now defend God's holy Church from the snares of her enemies and from all adversity (Redemptoris Custos, par. 31).

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About Pat Gohn

Pat Gohn is a Catholic writer, speaker, and the host of the Among Women Podcast and blog. Her book Blessed, Beautiful and Bodacious: Celebrating the Gift of Catholic Womanhood is published by Ave Maria Press.

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