Why Authority Without Love Fails — and Love Without Authority Harms

Authority is often misinterpreted as domination.
Consequently, men fearful of being tyrants renounce their authority.
Yet, to deny a reality does not negate its existence.

To deny authority because people misuse it is to misuse your authority by denying the goodness of it.

What is Authority?
St. Joseph’s Solemnity Mass opening antiphon reads:

“Behold, a faithful and prudent steward who the Lord sets over His household (Lk 12:42).

The Church directs us to this scripture to highlight St. Joseph’s authority, while summoning men to live it.
In this passage, Jesus establishes the human father’s authority, and outlines what this authority demands.

The father is a “householder” whom God “Sets over the family.”
The Greek word for householder is Oikodespotes.
Despotes means Lord.
Oikonomia, means household management.
The father is a lord-ruler who manages his family.

Jesus outlines his four responsibilities:

“If the householder knew when the thief would come, he would watch, and not let his house be broken into” (Lk 12:39).

The householder protects his family from evil.
He is a protector.

He is “to give them their measure of wheat in due season” (Lk 12:42).

His occupation is at the service of his vocation.
He is a provider.

He is a “faithful and wise steward” (See Lk 12:42).

He transmits God’s law and love.
He is a priest.

Referring to the Oikodespotes, Our Lord says:

“Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he comes shall find so doing” (Lk 12:43).

The householder is a servant.

The father is lord, who is serves his family as Protector, Provider and Priest.

After the Annunciation, all divine directives were given to St. Joseph, establishing him as the paradigm of fatherly authority.

Fatherly authority is not tyrannical, abusive, or demanding your family to live up to your idea of perfection.
Fatherly authority is not pretending that you do not possess authority over your domestic church.
Fatherly authority is assuming sacrificial responsibility for one’s family.

God’s promise to such a man?

Blessed is that servant, I will set him over my possessions (See Luke 12:43).

God sets St. Joseph over the Holy Family -the domestic church…
And because of his faithfulness, God appoints him as Patron of the Universal Church.

If we, like Joseph, lead by loving and love by leading, we too will reign in glory.