St. Joseph’s Spirituality

Endeavoring to know St. Joseph I encountered several obstacles:

No record of anything St. Joseph said exists.
The Sacred Scripture mentions him sparingly.
Myth and legend eclipsed the truth regarding him.

I began praying over the scripture passages referencing St. Joseph.

Mysterious silence shrouds Joseph.
Yet that silence speaks profoundly of his fatherly greatness.

Less is more.
I focused more on the less.
More insights were given.

Gradually, a great idea began to emerge.

This idea has formed my life’s work.

St. Joseph lived a spirituality that forged him into a saint.
AND, Scripture outlines this spirituality and its four pillars.

Pillar 1: Embrace Silence
After discovering Mary’s pregnancy Joseph entered the hidden place of silence with God.
Joseph did not act rashly.
He pondered, prayed, and waited for divine guidance (See Mt 1:18-19).
In silence Joseph received his identity and mission, “Joseph son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 1:20).
His identity: Joseph is a king, therefore a son of God.
His mission: to embrace Mary and her son.

Pillar 2: Embrace Woman
“Joseph arose and took Mary his wife” (Mt 1:24).
Joseph embraced the totality of Mary…
not for what he could get from her, but for who he could be for her.
He counted her as better than himself (See Phil 2:3).
He bore her burdens as his own (See Gal 6:2).
Marriage became his mission.

Pillar 3: Embrace the Child
By embracing Mary, consequently, Joseph embraced her child as his own.
Joseph became a father to the Son of God.
Fatherhood became his mission.

Pillar 4: Embrace Charitable Authority.
After the Annunciation, all divine directives imparted to the Holy Family were given to St. Joseph.
Though Joseph was the least perfect member of the Holy Family…
Nevertheless, he was called to lead by loving and love by leading.

The Carmelites, Trappists, Franciscans, Dominicans and Benedictines all have a rule of life—a spirituality.
St. Joseph also has a rule of life founded on these four pillars.

This spirituality has become my rule of life.
I hope to share more of it with you.