Page 163 - Reflections on St. Joseph

 a life of sorrows and joys, in the full and continuous fulfillment of the will of God
 a guide for us to be able to “choose to serve the Church in humble tasks and
places...happy to dedicate themselves to the most ordinary and simple work with
extraordinary love” (Const. 58).
 Here is how St. Joseph Marello presents our spirituality as well as our style of apostolic
work. We need to enter into the “House of St. Joseph. Withdrawing therein with the
resolve to remain hidden and silently active in imitation of that great Model of a poor and
obscure life, he will have an opportunity to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ”.
 Our Founder proposed to his sons a special spirituality, described by Fr. Cortona in his
writings.
 He had his sons meditate continually upon the hidden life of St. Joseph; he
presented him as close to Mary and Jesus, the three of them together.
 He liked to repeat the expression of St. Paul: "our life is hidden with Christ in
God, in imitation of St. Joseph”
 In the Church there are Congregations which have for their goal a particular
meditation on the sorrows of Mary (Servants of Mary), others to mediate on the
Passion of the Lord (the Passionists); so also the Oblates of St. Joseph are to study
how to imitate more closely the hidden life of St. Joseph.
 He also said: how fortunate are those who understand the value of the hidden
life, these will certainly give great glory to God, because a soul which desires the
hidden life, ignored by the world, all intent on serving God and seeking only
Him, most certainly gives him the maximum joy.
 We Oblates must be ready “with our belts fastened, walking stick in hand and sandals on
our feet”, in a continual state of exodus and of permanent commitment, without ever
diminishing, in our consciences, the meaning of our consecration.
 We also live amongst the problems of this world, which is caught up in superficiality
and secular customs, where it is not easy to live an interior life according to the
guiding principles of our spirituality.
 We need to rediscover the value of our "Carthusian" spirit.
 We need to acquire a true ecclesial spirit and a good Oblate identity, which is able to
withstand every temptation to secularism.
 We live with the danger of wasting time on the internet or in something similar, not
knowing how to use our free time and so to empty ourselves spiritually, losing that
characteristic which should be proper to our spirituality…: to live “hidden and silently
active in imitation of St. Joseph”, as we are taught by our Founder (Letter 108, formerly
95).
 “So we shall say to our great Patriarch: We belong entirely to you, and may you be all ours.
Show us the way; support us at every step; guide us where Providence wants us to go. … with
you we are sure of always going along the right path”
(Letter 237, formerly 208).

5) Our Apostolic Charism.
 “The Founder, Saint Joseph Marello, wished his sons to be “apostles outdoors”12 and to
bring Christ to the world with that generous spirit with which St. Joseph, called to service by
the Eternal Father, nurtured Jesus and prepared Him for His ministry of salvation” (Const.
139
57).
Reflections on st. joseph