‘If at times God seems not to help us, surely this does not mean that we have been abandoned but instead are being trusted to plan, to be creative and to find solutions ourselves, rather than expecting God to intervene directly’
– Patris Corde –
We see the creative courage of St. Joseph from the moment he is asked to be the father of Jesus. He acts courageously in welcoming the pregnant Mary into his home. This action protected Mary from being ostracised by the community and likely being stoned to death.
We see his creative courage again when the couple arrives in Bethlehem to find there is no room for them at the inn. As Pope Francis remarks, “Joseph took a stable, and best he could, turned it into a welcoming home for the Son of God to come into the world” (cf. Luke 2:6-7). While in Egypt, St. Joseph would have had to adapt to a new environment in order to care for his family.
Courage is a gift of the Holy Spirit that helps a person to do what is right; even when doing what is right might bring about contempt from others. Creativity opens the mind and heart to paths of courageous action. The difficulties on account of the Covid-19 pandemic have required individuals, families, communities and nations to act with creativity and courage in finding new paths in every aspect of our daily lives. Parents, you are called to creative courage in sharing the faith with your children. At its core, passing on the faith is sharing Jesus with others.
St. Joseph reminds us of the satisfaction of doing our work well, whatever that may be. The current employment crisis brought about by the pandemic brings into focus the difficulties, tensions and estrangement that often accompany under-employment or unemployment. We ask St. Joseph to inspire us to not only work for ourselves but become advocates for others who seek meaningful work. His example also reminds us that all workers are, in some form, cooperating with God himself, in creating a better world around us.
Pope Francis points out that, “St. Joseph’s attitude encourages us to accept and welcome others as they are, without exception and show special concern for the weak, for God chooses what is weak (cd. 1 Corinthians 1:27).” Justice allows us to see the essential dignity of others, as we help each person to live up to their full potential as intended by God. Jesus, the Son, learns from the witness of St. Joseph to “love the stranger in our midst” understanding that they too are a gift from God.
St. Joseph explicitly worked to bring God’s love to the world by caring for Jesus and Mary. He placed his talents and efforts at the service of his family so that they could bring God’s love to the world. Each parent is called in the same way to help their children grow in faith so that they too can bring God’s love to the world.
