Page 57 - Reflections on St. Joseph

SAINT

JOSEPH

Husband of Mary

Fr. Matthew Spencer, OSJ

This month’s reflection is guided by the principle title given by the Church to St. Joseph, that is,
St. Joseph, Husband of Mary. I have chosen here to focus on three simple aspects of this most
important role of St. Joseph, and I pray that these modest contributions might inspire you to
deeper reflection on the importance of St. Joseph in the life of each of us as Oblates of St. Joseph.

Do not be afraid.

uring my theology studies, one of our professors shared with us the story of the first
wedding he presided over as a priest. He had personally prepared the bride and groom,
and he knew them to be ready for this lifelong commitment. After the homily though,
as the priest approached the couple, he noticed that the groom was sweating profusely and that
he looked distraught. As the rite progressed, the groom became more and more agitated. He
began whimpering and groaning as if in agony of some sort, and the priest anxiously tried to
move more quickly through the rite.

When the moment arrived for the couple to exchange consent and to profess their vows to one
another, the groom nearly collapsed. He cried out and looked at the priest in complete panic and
insisted that he couldn’t go on. The young man was so frightened, so overwhelmed by the
nature of a lifelong commitment, that he had become paralyzed by fear. My professor, a young
priest at the time, took the groom to the sacristy for a moment, gave him a glass of water, and
encouraged him to relax. They returned to the altar and again tried to continue, but to no avail.
Several more times they returned to the sacristy, each time the presider hoping the groom
would find the strength to move forward, but each time the groom panicked and couldn’t utter
his vows.

Finally, my former professor, nearly as overwhelmed as the young man that his first
wedding was going the way it was, decided that either he could postpone the wedding, or
he could forcefully guide the young man through the vows and pray that God’s grace would
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Reflections on st. joseph