Love St. Joseph a lot. He deserves your affection-and it will do you good to get to know him, because he has great power before the Lord and before the Mother of God.
St. Josemaria Escriva
I sometimes think people overlook the amazing role of St. Joseph.
We don't know a lot of details about his life, but let's consider what we do know. Of all the men during the history of the world, St. Joseph was the man God, himself, chose to protect and care for Mary and Jesus. Joseph must have had an incredible faith life, because he demonstrated a complete trust in God. His life of faithful prayer allowed him to recognize the messages in his dreams came from God. Without Joseph, Mary's life, and The Life within her, would not have been protected. Both Mary and Joseph had to give God their "Yes" in order for God's Plan for salvation to begin.
I wonder how many smiles and laughs Joseph and Jesus shared over the years. I wonder how proud Joseph must have been to call Jesus his son. I wonder if he ever put Jesus on his shoulders, played catch with Him, or carried Him when his little legs were too tired. And I wonder if the weight of keeping the Messiah safe from harm kept him up at night.
Today is Father's Day and I think it is appropriate to think about St. Joseph's fatherhood. Being a good father requires endless sacrifices for the sake of the family. It also requires a heart that loves beyond self interest in order to embrace the dreams and desires of his child. Take some time today to ask St. Joseph to share his favorite memory of fatherhood.
-Susan
