Natural

Saint Joseph loved God so much with a love that was more than natural – it was spiritual – that he was able to raise God. 

Saint Joseph and Mary (Unknown)

I have been reflecting on Saint Joseph, the Foster Father of Christ.

What a loving man this Saint is.  He is such a good example of love.  He loved God so much that God allowed him to be the foster father of God Himself.

I have not often thought about why God chose Saint Joseph for this task.  I have long reflected on the role of the Blessed Virgin – her sinlessness and her beauty.  But I have not spent very much time at all thinking about the Great Saint Joseph.  And that is a terrible shame.  You see, upon reflection, it seems that God must have taken particular care in choosing the foster father of Christ.

I imagine myself, placing one of my children into the care of someone else.  I would worry about what they are teaching them and how they are looking after them and what they were teaching them.   I would worry about their values and behaviours.  I would not – for example – want to place my children in the care of a person who abused drugs or alcohol (or even people).  I would only want my children to be around people who would be able to care for them and teach them and love them they way that they needed to be loved and cared for and taught.

Importantly, I would not want the person entrusted to the care of my children to misunderstand the special nuances required to raise them.  My eldest son is responsible, my second son is loving and my daughter is helpful.  These are things that one must first understand before engaging with those children.  If I were to push a responsible child too far he might see it as a criticism and if I were to ignore the small cues for comfort and love from my second son, then he would feel rejected and if I pushed my daughter to help too much, she might feel exploited.  I know this because I have studied those children all the days of their lives. 

How much must God have studied the Good Man – as Saint Joseph is sometimes called?

Saint Joseph was so loving that he chose not to engage in a sexual relationship with his spouse.  He so respected her that he was willing to make any sacrifice for her and for her vocation.  And if that meant to live with her and defend her and look after her as her spouse but to remain chaste, he loved her so much that he could respect that and do that for her.

And Saint Joseph loved God so much with a love that was more than natural – it was spiritual – that he was able to raise God.  He could teach Christ to pray.  Imagine that!  Teaching God to commune with God.  Of course, the Divine Nature of Christ already knew this, but the Human Nature needed a father to teach Him these things…  And how important is the father’s role in the life of a son.

And how wonderous is God who created such a treasured soul as Saint Joseph, to raise the Son of God…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.