The Passion of St. Joseph

This is a computer-generated transcription that has been included to make the homily searchable.  It has not been verified by the author. 

“Joseph, her husband, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly.” These are very simple words, but they hide an immense suffering, a terrible problem, even in the Holy Family. And this problem was not Mary’s fault or Joseph’s fault, we could say it was God’s fault. It was because of what the Lord was doing. And so, this makes us think of so many problems in marriages and relationships, even among good holy people. It can happen, and there can be suspicions, there can be misunderstandings, and sometimes circumstances which are beyond their control. And sometimes cases like this case where it’s God’s own action, God’s mysterious action. In the account of Maria Valtorta, our Blessed Mother says that the Lord had made her understand that she was not to reveal this mystery to Joseph, but to wait, wait on the Lord that He would reveal it. And so, she had to keep quiet and wait. And so also this, beyond marriage or relationship, this can remind us of the trials, the very painful trials that fidelity to God can cause to God’s mysterious actions. And I think just you know, to take the example that’s very close to us here, of the current situation of the mission, where we believe that God is telling us something, and that we have to be faithful to; and many people, many good Catholics, feel that what we’re doing is wrong, even people who like us, who like the mission, but feel what we’re doing is wrong. And so, there’s that situation, and I think that’s actually for us, and for some of you also, that’s caused that where, like one spouse believes that what we’re doing is right, one spouse believes what we’re doing is wrong, and it causes a lot of tension and division. And like the way, here at the mission, I mean, we know that, I mean, there’s some people you all, and some other people who have responded, and that’s amazing. But for most people, we realize that, like someone the other day was talking to us about our situation and how we could communicate it more clearly, even things that we’ve already said and said at length. But still, it’s hard for some people to understand or see. And I think in many ways, we’ll just have to wait till God Himself does it, till God Himself manifests the truth. And so, we just have to wait on the Lord. And so, there’s a lot of different situations that can correspond to what this gospel is talking about. And so, what was this gospel? What was this like for Mary and for Joseph? Mary has a secret that only God can reveal, even if she tried, how could she say? How could she make someone believe what she’s – so who could believe it? And so, this is a terrible trial for her and her relationship with Joseph. And it has potential fatal consequences for her that the penalty that the Torah gave for adultery was death, was stoning, and so terrible consequences for her. And so, she has to trust in God and wait on God. And also, for St Joseph, we’re in this chapel dedicated to St Joseph. And St Joseph is faced with a very difficult decision. And the gospel doesn’t give us much details, but I think, I think the meditation that Maria Valtorta received is very helpful. I’ve read this before, but I thought it’d be good to share it again this year. And so this is from The Gospel as It Was Revealed to Me, Maria Valtorta. And so, Mary has been helping Elizabeth. Mary has been not in Nazareth but helping Elizabeth and Zechariah until the birth of John the Baptist, and then they go to Jerusalem for the rite of purification, John the Baptist. And Joseph comes down from Nazareth to Jerusalem to meet Mary and to take her back to Nazareth. And so, he hasn’t seen her in many months, practically since the Annunciation. And so, when he arrives in Nazareth, he can see that she’s pregnant. And so, this is the account in Maria Valtorta from the perspective of our Blessed Mother. And as I’ve often said in these if it helps for you, feel free to close your eyes to listen to this. “My Joseph also suffered his passion. It began in Jerusalem when he noticed my condition, and it lasted several days, exactly as it happened to Jesus and me at the passion, neither was it less painful for his soul.” So, this was the passion of St Joseph. “And only because of the holiness of my just spouse, it was contained in such a dignified and secret form that it has hardly been noticed throughout the centuries. Oh, our first passion. Who can feel its intimate and silent intensity? Who can describe my pain when I realized that heaven had not yet heard my prayer by revealing the mystery to Joseph, I understood that he was not aware of it when I saw that he was respectful to me as usual. If he had known that I bore in me the word of God, he would have adored that word enclosed in my womb with the acts of veneration which are due to God and which he would not have failed to accomplish as I would not have refused to receive not for my own sake, but for him who was within me and that I bore. Who can measure my struggle against the dismay that endeavored to overwhelm me in order to convince me that I had hoped in vain in the Lord. I think it was the furious rage of satan. I perceived doubt rising behind my back, stretching its icy claws to imprison my soul and prevent it from praying. Doubt is so dangerous and lethal to the Spirit. It is lethal because it is the first agent of the deadly disease called despair, against which we must react with all our strength so that our souls may not perish and we may not lose God. And who can truly tell Joseph’s pain, his thoughts, the perturbation of his feelings. Like a little boat caught in a great storm. He was in a vortex of conflicting ideas and a turmoil of reflections, of which one was more piercing and painful than the other. He was, to all appearances, a man betrayed by his wife. He saw his good reputation and the esteem of his world collapse around him. Because of her, he saw scornful fingers pointed at him and felt pitied by the village people. Above all, he perceived that his love and esteem for me had fallen, struck to death before the evidence of a deed. In this respect, His Holiness shines brighter than mine. And I give this witness with the affection of a spouse, because I want you to love my Joseph, this wise, prudent, patient and good man who is not separated from the mystery of the redemption. On the contrary, he is closely connected to it because he suffered for it, consuming himself in sorrow for it, saving your savior at the cost of his own sacrifice because of his holiness. Had he not been so holy, He would have acted in a human way, denouncing me as an adulteress so that I should be stoned and the son of my sin should perish with me. If he had been less holy, God would not have granted him his light as guidance in his trial. But Joseph was holy. His pure spirit lived in God. His charity was ardent and strong. And out of charity, he saved your savior for you; both, when he refrained from accusing me to the elders and when he saved Jesus in Egypt, leaving everything with prompt obedience. If the three days of Joseph’s passion were short in number, they were deep in intensity. And they were tremendous, also for me, those days of my first passion, because I was aware of his suffering, which I could not alleviate. In fact, I had to obey God’s command, who had said to me, be silent. And when, after we arrived in Nazareth, I saw him go away with a brief goodbye and bent as if he had aged in a short time, and I noticed that he no longer came to see me in the evening, as he used to do. Then I tell you my children that my heart wept very bitterly. Closed in my house, all alone in the house where everything reminded me of the Annunciation and the Incarnation, and where everything reminded me of Joseph married to me with spotless virginity. I had to fight despair and satan’s insinuations and hope, hope, hope and pray, pray, pray and forgive, forgive, forgive Joseph’s suspicion, his disturbance and just despair. My children, you must hope, pray, forgive, in order to obtain God’s intervention in your favor, you must live your passions. I can teach you how to overcome them and turn them into joy.Hope beyond measure, pray with confidence, forgive, to be forgiven. And God’s forgiveness will be the peace you desire, my children.” And then there’s another meditation. This recounts what happens a few days later. “I see the little orchard in Nazareth Mary is spinning thread in the shade of a very thick apple tree, overloaded with apples, which are beginning to redden. But Mary is not rosy at all. The beautiful color that brightened her cheeks has disappeared. Her face is as pale as ivory. Under her lowered eyelashes, there are two dark shadows, and her eyes are swollen, as if she had cried. Her head is bowed, intent on her work, and even more, on a thought which is obviously distressing her. She jolts at a loud, firm knock at the door. She lays the distaff and the spindle down and rises to go and open. Joseph is standing in front of her. Mary turns pale. She looks at Joseph with sad, inquiring eyes. Joseph looks at her with imploring ones. They are both silent, looking at each other. Then Mary says, ‘at this time, Joseph, is there anything you need? What do you want to tell me? Come in.’ Joseph enters and closes the door. He is still silent. Speak, Joseph, what is it you want from me?’ ‘I want you to forgive me.’ Joseph bends down as if he wanted to kneel down, but Mary, who is always so reserved in touching him, seizes him resolutely by his shoulders and stops him. Mary’s face blushes and blanches in rapid succession. One moment it is all red, and immediately afterwards, it is as white as snow as it was before. ‘You want me to forgive you. I have nothing to forgive you, Joseph, I can only thank you once again for everything you have done here while I was away and for your love for me.’ Joseph looks at her, and I can see two large tears welling up in the cavity of his deep eyes. They roll down on his cheeks and his beard. ‘Forgive me, Mary, I mistrusted you. Now I know I am not worthy of having such a treasure, I lacked in charity. I accused you in my heart. I accused you unfairly because I did not ask you to tell me the truth. I sinned against God’s law because I did not love you as I loved myself.’ ‘Oh no, Joseph, you have not sinned.’ ‘Yes, I have, Mary. if I had been accused of such a crime, I would have defended myself, but you, I was not giving you the possibility of defending yourself because I was about to take a decision without questioning you. I have been unfair to you because I offended you with my suspicion. Also, a single suspicion is an offense. Mary, who suspects, does not know, and I did not know you as I should have done, but for the torment I suffered three days of torture. Forgive me, Mary.’ ‘I have nothing for which to forgive you. Joseph, on the contrary, I ask you to forgive me for the pain I caused you. Oh yes, it was a great pain. What a torture. ’Look. I was told this morning that my temples are white haired and my face wrinkled. These past days have been more than 10 years of my life. But why, Mary, have you been so humble as to conceal your glory from me, your spouse and thus allow me to suspect you?’ Joseph is not on his knees, but he is bent so low that he is as good as kneeling down. And Mary lays her tiny hand on his head and smiles and she whispers, ‘if I had not been humble in the most perfect manner, I would not have deserved to conceive the expected one who was coming to pay for the sin of pride that ruined man. And then I obeyed. God had requested such obedience. It cost me so much because of you, because of the pain that you were to suffer. But I could only obey. I am the handmaiden of the Lord and servants do not discuss the orders they receive. They fulfill them Joseph, even if they cause bitter tears.’ Mary weeps quietly while speaking, Joseph then lifts his head, and he presses Mary’s little hands in his dark, strong ones, and he kisses the tips of the rosy, slender fingers that protrude from the circle formed by his own hands. He says, ‘Now we shall have to arrange for…’ Joseph does not continue, but he looks at Mary’s womb. Then he says, ‘We shall have to make haste. I will come here. We will complete the wedding next week. Is that all right?’ ‘Whatever you do is all right, Joseph, you are the head of the family. I am your servant.’ ‘No, I am your servant. I am the happy servant of my Lord who is growing in your womb. You are blessed amongst all the women of Israel. This evening, I will alert my relatives, and after, when I am here, we will work to prepare everything to receive. Oh, how can I receive God in my house, God in my arms. I will die of joy. I will never dare touch him. I will never be able.’ ‘You will be able, Joseph, as I will by the grace of God.’ ‘But Mary, you are. I’m a poor man, the poorest of God’s children.’ ‘Joseph, Jesus is coming to us poor people, to make us rich in God, He is coming to us too, because we are the poorest and we admit it. Rejoice Joseph the house of David has the king long awaited, and our home will become more splendid than Solomon’s Palace, because Heaven will be here, and we shall share with God the secret of peace that men will be acquainted with later. He will grow among us. Our arms will be the cradle for the Redeemer, and our work will procure bread for him. O Joseph, we shall hear the voice of God calling us father and mother.’ Mary is crying with joy, happy tears, and Joseph, who is now kneeling at her feet, is weeping with his head almost hidden in Mary’s white dress.”  So, just to conclude, there’s many lessons in this of heroic obedience to God and His divine mysteries, even when He asks us to be silent, of charity, of forgiveness, of humility, patience, faith that permit God to act in our relationships, in marriages and friendships and the extreme trials that God can permit, or not just permit, but can even cause. And as I said, I think it sheds light on our little situation here at MDM, but this trial leads to an eternal reward. And also reward that God gives us today for our faith in his hidden mysteries, his hidden mysteries in the Holy Eucharist, which can seem so ordinary, like the presence of Jesus and our Blessed Mother, but Joseph was given now to understand that the mystery in her, that what was her pregnancy, was not an ordinary human pregnancy, but was a divine mystery; that divine mystery which is here present in the Holy Eucharist. And so, with our Blessed Mother and today, especially with St Joseph, let us come to adore our Lord hidden in the Blessed Sacrament. Come let us adore Him. Amen. 

KEYWORDS / PHRASES:
Matthew 1:18-24