Overview:

The Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

A Reflection for the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.” (Matt 1:24) 

Find today’s readings here.

I’m the father of four children. The birth of our first child changed my perspective more than any other event in my life. It turned the volume down on just about everything else, from my friends to my extended family to my career aspirations. Whatever happened, I felt God had entrusted me with this precious child to care for, and all I wanted was to meet the moment. 

Over the years, I did meet the moment sometimes, but certainly not always. When I examine my conscience, my missteps are nearly all related to a lack of patience. I’ve wanted our children to behave in certain ways or say certain things. I’ve wanted them to understand concepts and ideas that I felt were important. 

Too often, at the wrong time, I’ve tried to impart to our children what I considered wisdom. In quiet spaces, I’ve interrupted the stillness of silence to blurt out words that were mostly noise. I am a reflection of my circumstance, of a society of individuals that feel compelled to speak even when we have nothing to say. But good parents know when to break from destructive social norms. Our children can teach us a lot.  

I continue to learn from our children. Our second son has autism. He will turn 5 soon but still struggles to communicate basic needs like hunger and thirst. As I’ve walked with him, he has taught me that being a dad isn’t about talking. Sometimes, being a dad just means being there, and not leaving. I don’t need to understand what’s happening, but I do need to be present. I cannot meet the moment if I’m not there. 

St. Joseph was there for Jesus and Mary. Surely, he also had things to say, but none of his words are recorded in the Bible. We do not honor St. Joseph because of anything he said. We honor him for what he did. St. Joseph stood by his betrothed despite circumstances he could not have possibly understood. He trusted in God and raised Jesus as his own. 

St. Joseph models accompaniment and not just for fathers. He demonstrates how we can do the will of God even when we do not fully understand it. He had the faith to follow God even when his life took a turn he did not expect. We must do the same.

J.D. Long García is a senior editor at America.