St. Joseph

By: Timothy Boyd Wilson

There is much written about St. Joseph but very little is historical fact. Nothing of his early life is known, nor even when he died. It is known, however, that he was of The House of David. He descended from a son of King David - a different son from whom Our Lady was descended.

St. Joseph is first mentioned as being betrothed to Our Lady at the time of the Annunciation. When St. Joseph was told in a dream that his betrothed was to be the mother of God, it was for him a kind of "Annunciation", too. It transformed the life that he had imagined he was to have. Certainly, he would have been deeply humble about himself and doubtless prayed for guidance, but he set about doing all that had been asked of him.

All saints become close to Our Lord but none could claim to be closer than Joseph became, from the moment of Our Lord's birth, living with him, guiding him as he grew up, teaching him to be a carpenter, too. Every day in Our Lord's company must have thrilled him. His mother must have also been an inspiration. The wisdom she undoubtedly had, magnified by the love of the Holy Spirit, was matchless.

It is clear from the gospels and from the accounts of the prophets, that everything had been planned. It began with the Virgin Birth. There is no reason to think that everything to do about her care and the care of the infant Jesus was not also planned. St. Joseph must have been singled out for this purpose as being the most perfect person in every way. He had to be young and energetic. He had to be skilled in order to earn enough at least to keep the family going. As a carpenter there would have been sufficient work available. In those days, being a carpenter also involved house building skills - constructing floors, doors, windows, roofs -- anything. However, sufficient cash-flow would always have been a problem.

Not long after "The Annunciation" when Our Lady was three months pregnant, they learned that her cousin, Elizabeth, was pregnant. Mary wanted to go and visit her immediately, perhaps because Elizabeth was not a young woman and we can surmise that Mary wanted to be there to help her and to be there for the birth. Then began several long journeys undertaken by the Holy Family, the first being the Journey to Elizabeth and Zacharias at Hebron beyond Jerusalem about 200 kms from Nazareth. This could have taken about 2 weeks with Our Lady travelling on a donkey - not the best situation for someone three months pregnant. When they arrived Joseph would have stayed two or three days, to rest the donkey as much as anything, before returning to Nazareth. He came back to fetch Our Lady home after three months, when Elizabeth had given birth. Our Lady was now six months pregnant. A little later - three months in fact - everyone was ordered to go to their tribal towns to pay tax and be take part in the census. Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem where the House of David gathered, near Jerusalem, about 150 kms from Nazareth Another long journey, and, as we know, they could not find anywhere to stay except in a stable. Joseph certainly had his worries. He probably managed to arrange for a cousin or two to assist at the now imminent birth, but he also had to get food and pay the tax. With hindsight we can see that a stable with perhaps a bit more room in front and around and about helped, when the shepherds started arriving and then the three kings and their retinues. Such visitors at a small Inn would have been quite complicated.

The next journey which happened soon after the Nativity, (8 days later), was to Jerusalem. This was roughly a day's journey, about 9 kms. This as for the Presentation in the Temple of Our Lord. Here they met the aged and deeply devout Simeon. He had been told by the Holy Spirit that the Holy Family would be visiting the Temple. Simeon had longed to leave this life in his old age but had also been told by the Holy Spirit that this would not happen until he had seen the Lord. There is that beautiful encounter described in St Luke's gospel when Simeon takes the Holy Child in his arms and says “Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people:a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel." The Evangelist then adds that Joseph and Mary marvelled at these things which were spoken of Him.

After that, the next trip the Holy Family had to make was formidable because it was so long with the tiny new-born Jesus. Shortly after the three Kings had visited, an Angel warned Joseph in a dream that they should leave by night for Egypt as King Herod had heard of the birth of a "king" and was about to begin slaying all boys under the age of two. This was the Massacre of the Innocents. The Family set off on a journey of about 300 kms to the Nile Delta. It is not known where they settled. They were there for about two years until Herod died and Joseph was told in a dream that they should return home. On the journey Joseph learned that Herod had been succeeded by his son, Archelaus. He decided then to return to Nazareth in Galilee rather than to Bethlehem, where the Family could be more anonymous being quite far from Jerusalem. It was more their home with friends and relations abounding. He was also a well-known carpenter there. The only trouble was getting there - a journey of about 500 kms with, now, an active two-year old to care for. The journey must have seemed interminable. There were probably delays of three or four days at every village for the sake of the infant Jesus and to rest the donkey, and perhaps, for Joseph to do any work that he could pick up to earn a little money.

St. Luke mentions one longer trip undertaken by the Holy Family, when Our Lord was about 12 years old, to Jerusalem for the Passover ceremonies. In fact this was an annual trip which many in Galilee took. It is mentioned because on this occasion, while they were returning to Galilee, Our Lord went missing. They returned to Jerusalem and after three days of searching, in despair they decided to go to the Temple, perhaps to seek guidance from God the Father. To their surprise that is where they found Our Lord, engaged in colloquy with the teachers, Our Lord's response to his parents' reproach is revealing. "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" Our Lord returned home with them as a dutiful son, learning and working at the carpentry profession until the time came to commence his mission.

This must have been a time of great peace, joy and contentment for St. Joseph. To live in close proximity to the two most perfect persons the world has ever known. It must have brought him complete rapture. This "learning" period of Our Lord's life must have been a time of great joy for him, too. A happy family life is not an unusual experience in this world. However, Our Lord must also have seen many examples all around Him where the opposite was the case. These would have filled him with deep compassion.

There is no gospel mention of when St. Joseph died. It is likely that he died before the Marriage Feast at Cana, since he is not mentioned as being present. If he had been, say, 30 at the time of Our Lord's birth, at the time of the Marriage Feast he would have been 60. So perhaps he died aged somewhere between 55 and 60 - a fairly typical lifespan at that time.

The first 3 years of St. Joseph’s marriage were indeed full of “incident " and strenuous journeys, but he organised everything unhesitatingly, caring for the family which he did for the rest of his life. How he must have gazed with wonder and adoration on the Lord at his birth and then on him daily as he grew up.

Let us say this prayer to St. Joseph:

Hail, guardian of The Redeemer, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted His only son. In you Mary placed her trust. With you Christ became man. Blessed Joseph, to us too , show yourself a father. Guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage and defend us from every evil.

Amen

Timothy Boyd-Wilson