St. Joseph: Visible, Silent, Responsible (2014-03-19)

19 March 2014  St. Joseph’s Novena talk  @ Our Lady of Lourdes, West Orange.

[__01__]   In the letter of St. James, we read,  about the connection between faith and action, about confidence in God and our works …

“If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works” (James 2:15-17)

A connection exists, in life, between what we believe and what we do.

Doesn’t this also remind us to be seen…not necessarily to win awards or popularity …but to be a witness?

It is good news to be seen.

[__02__]   Our Lord, in his ministry in Galilee and Jerusalem, arrives not simply to scrutinize and take notes on religion and worship on the Jerusalem authorites…then return to heaven.

He arrives also so that he is seen and recognized. Our Lord wants us to see him, know him, have a relationship with him.

Doesn’t this start early in life for the young Savior? At 12 years of age, on a family pilgrimage/trip for the Passover, the young Jesus separates himself from his family, his elders intentionally so as to be seen in the Temple.

Jesus goes not to take notes from the back of the classroom, but to stand before the podium and blackboard, to be noticed, identified, revealed.

And, we know – at 12 years of age – it is very important that we are not ignored, that we are seen.

Jesus himself says that no one lights a lamp and places it under a bushel basket but rather places the lamp on a lampstand for all to see. (cf. Matthew 5:15)

It is Good News to be seen.

Yet, isn’t it true that Jesus and his disciples – are not merely seen?

They are also heard, they proclaim, they write books and letters of the Bible. St. Paul writes many letters.

The notable exception among all of these disciples is St. Joseph. From him, we hear no words. He is seen and not heard.

Nevertheless, it is good news to be seen.

[__03__]     I’d like to reflect on our own Christian life and calling, using St. Joseph’s life as an example.

• First – to achieve visibility.
• Secondly – to cultivate silence
• Thirdly – to take responsibility

To achieve visibility, to cultivate silence, and to take responsibility.

Joseph gives us an example of visibility, silence, and responsibility.

[__04__]    First, visibility.

It is good for us to be visible.  Coming to church, to Sunday Mass, to our St. Joseph Novena, we allow ourselves to be visible – explicitly – before God.

Now does God – as Father, Son, Holy Spirit – not also see us in our home, at our table, in the car, at school, on the bus?

Yes, sure. But, sometimes, we are not quite as aware of his glance, not quite aware that we are in his presence …or not aware that we are on the spiritual-divine radar screen as we are in church.

We come to church..yes, to be seen.

St. Francis de Sales uses an analogy from the world of royalty and politics.

For example, doesn’t the President or monarch or prime minister of a country desire to see …his or supporters, people ..

Certainly, these leaders draw crowds.

Francis de Sales writes:  “what number of courtiers appear a hundred times at court without any hope of a word from their king, but merely pay their homage and be seen [or… just noticed…glanced at] ?”[1]

Isn’t this true at a U.S. Presidential Inauguration, in Washington DC, in Trenton, or at the State of the Union …and on red carpets everywhere?  

The supporter – or lobbyist – or voter – is seen, waved at … over here ..over here…

[__05__]    We come to prayer, first to be seen…not by our neighbors on Valley Way or Main Street …but to be seen by God.

We may, at first during our prayer, receive no special revelations, no dreams to be interpreted (as St. Joseph had), or any words at all.

But, it is good news for us to be seen. Joseph also recognized his call to be seen by Mary and Jesus, as husband, father, guardian.

[__06_]  Secondly, we are also called to silence.

In St. Joseph, we observe two important revelations which came to him when he was asleep.

St. Therese of Lisieux writes in her journal about her intimacy with God… despite – or even because – of the fact that she has fallen asleep in the convent chapel.

Thomas Merton writes this in an essay about silence:

“Silence does not exist in our lives merely for its own sake. It is ordered to something else. Silence is the mother of speech”[2]

Merton goes on to say that silence – contemplative prayer/silence – helps us to see – to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart… to penetrate between joints and marrow with the double-edged sword (cf. Hebrews 4:12)

Merton writes: “In silence, we learn to make distinctions. Those who [flee from / escape from] silence, [escape / flee] from distinctions.” They do not want to see too clearly. They prefer confusion.

A person who loves God necessarily loves silence [so as to gain a sense of discernment].”[3]

[__07__]     Silence enables Joseph to hear the word of God, to follow God’s call, and to make distinctions, to discern good from evil under very difficult circumstances.

Presumably, those able to speak would have told Joseph to take a different path, road, parkway rather than to … “take Mary your wife into your home.” (Matthew 1:20)

** pause **

[__08__]  In the Christian life, we are called upon to be seen, to be visible. We are called to cultivate silence to hear God’s word.

Thirdly, we are called to take responsibility for our actions.

In Psalm 105, we read the Lord will make his chosen one “master of all he possessed”.  This refers, ultimately to Jesus as Lord and Savior and Good Shepherd, taking care of the flock, the disciples, the Church.

Yet, in the very early days of Christ’s life, even before the birth of Christ, Joseph is the one master of the house.

Joseph is exercising this role as shepherd, guardian of the church, master of the house, master of all God’s possessions.[4]  (See Litany of St. Joseph).

[__09__]   St. Joseph is a model for leaders to follow, whether our leadership is simply to act – as an adult, as a grown up person, as mother or father, as a teacher, coach as a public servant, as a religious sister, priest….

All of us are called to some measure of leadership, authority, responsibility.

Or, if we are not called right now, perhaps we have been or will be in the future.

Joseph gives us an example of responsible leadership –

• Guarding the good name and reputation of another - … Joseph does not want to expose Mary to the law.
• Showing willingness to listen … to be directed … in order to give someone else direction, as a leader, we are also called to accept direction, criticism….

Of course, it is also true that we should be careful and discerning about the advice we receive. There is also a danger of receiving too many opinions, of trying to satisfy too many objectives, or of trying to please both God and Mammon… or borrowing from God to pay off Caesar.

[__10__] St. Joseph, as patron of the Christian family and as guardian of the Holy Family, reminds us to seek advice and holiness also within our families.

This does not mean that our family members are perfect or infallible …or incapable of error.

However, the family itself – for Jesus and for you and me – is the place where we first learn about love, about the importance of…

• Visibility - Being seen, showing up [at dinner table], even if we don’t say anything

• Silence, listening.. obeying, serving.

• Taking responsibility for our actions.

[__11__]   In this, what we learn in our immediate family unit .. helps us to love those beyond our immediate family.  And, St. Joseph is given not only as a patron to families but to the whole Church and world?

John Henry Newman – Cardinal Newman – writes about this development of love, first in the family and the way this prepares us to love … as we meet others outside our original family or start our own families:

“the best preparation for loving the world at large, and loving it duly and wisely, is to cultivate an intimate friendship and affection towards those who are immediately about us.

.. To honour our parents is the first step towards honouring God; to love our [blood … brothers and sisters] according to the flesh, the first step towards considering all men and women men as our [brothers and sisters]” [5]

Newman points out that this was our Savior’s pattern – to love first Mary and Joseph – then to love all men and women, all of us, to give his life as a ransom for many.

It is good news for us to see him – to see Jesus -  as he also sees us as his own.  [__fin__]  

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[1] Francis De Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 2, Chapter 9 “Concerning Dryness in Meditation” – page 58.

[2] Merton, Thomas, No Man is an Island, “Silence”, page 260

[3] Merton, “Silence,”  p. 260

[4] See litany of St. Joseph…

[5] Newman, John Henry. Parochial and Plain Sermons. Book 2, Sermon 5, “Love of Relations and Friends”, page 260