Today is the feast of St. Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary. Joseph was a righteous man. He knew the teachings and laws of his Jewish faith and followed them as a way of life. Joseph was also compassionate. He had no intentions of subjecting Mary to the severe punishment of the law for being pregnant outside of marriage. He was also attentive to the message of God and courageous in doing what God asked him to do. It was an important part of God’s plan that the foster father of Jesus would be a righteous, compassionate, obedient man, a companion to Mary to form a family for God’s Son, Jesus. Together, Joseph and Mary modeled virtuous lives for Jesus, as he grew in wisdom .
The importance of the role of Joseph in the life of Jesus is further made clear in his connection to King David. The Hebrew Scriptures continuously prophesied that the Messiah would come from the house of David and the ancestry of Joseph provided such a link. In Jesus, the prophecies concerning the permanence of David’s reign were fulfilled. His reign will last forever through his son, Jesus. Joseph played a critical part in the ancestral connection and the fulfillment of God’s promises.
Celebrating today’s feast is an occasion of rejoicing in the lives of all Christians. We rejoice that God is faithful to his promises. We rejoice in the virtues of Joseph’s life that enabled him to do God’s will and to speak to our hearts calling us to be righteous before the Lord. Joseph is a model of compassion, obedience, and courage, and if we follow his example, our lives will be honorable vessels to bring Jesus to others.
