Page 76 - Reflections on St. Joseph

As a dutiful father, Joseph has taught Jesus his trade. The gospel of Mark tells us that the people
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of Nazareth knew well that Jesus was a carpenter . Even in his preaching, Jesus used the
images of plows, yokes, chests, lampstands, etc. which most probably are the things He and
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Joseph used to construct in their workshop . But Jesus did not only learn from Joseph the skills
of using the hammer, chisel, ruler, and T-square. He must also have learned for him the value
of a job well done and to see his “work as an expression of love” (RC 22). He also probably learned
from Joseph that one should not work only for the food that perishes but also for the food that
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endures for eternal life . In John’s gospel, Jesus identified this food in saying, “My food is to do
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the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work ,” Can we also say that Jesus saw in
Joseph, a just man whose life is nourished and energized by his deepest desire to recognize and
accomplish God’s will? It is also reasonable to imagine that Mary must have recounted on Jesus
the events around his mysterious birth as well how Joseph placed his entire self at the service
of God’s holy will and design.

Finally, we wonder how Joseph and Mary accepted Jesus' celibacy, which was something
counter-cultural in traditional Jewish society. During his time, everybody takes as a rule what
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the scriptures say, "it is not good for a man to be alone .” However, the incident of finding Jesus
in the temple must have left a deep impression on Joseph which has prepared him to accept that
Jesus is destined for a different path set by the will of the heavenly Father and not by human
conventions . Joseph must have realized that all human traditions are subordinated to the
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will of God. His duty as a father to Jesus is realized above all in respecting his freedom and
decisions and in supporting Him to fulfil his vocation and mission. However, Joseph did not
have the privilege to see that the greatest learner in the world who grew up in "wisdom, age,
and grace" under his roof will become the greatest teacher of all. But it does not forbid us to
imagine that before his demise, Joseph still had the pleasure of listening to the wisdom of the
Son of God, whom God the Father has entrusted to his fatherly care.

CONCLUSION

The figure of St. Joseph as a father and educator should appeal to parents, teachers, formators,
mentors, and all involved in the training and formation of the young. To parents, St. Joseph’s
example challenges them not to abnegate their educative duty to the schools because more than
anybody else, they have the greatest impact on the formation of the minds and hearts of their
children. In the earliest times, the home is at the same time a school which trains children not
only to learn a specific trade but to educate for life. St. Joseph shows that the duty of the
parents, above all, is to accompany and help their children to discover their vocation and
mission in life. To all teachers, formators, and mentors in schools, formation houses, and
oratories, St. Joseph’s example is a reminder that teaching is a noble vocation that draws its
inspiration from the mission of parenthood. Thus, they must always see themselves as the
second parents of their students. In this view, the ideal type of education lies in the seamless
collaboration between the school and home. St. Joseph reminds all educators that the success
of their mission lies not only in empowering the youth to attain a comfortable life but also to
help them discover and accomplish their God-given purpose and mission. Lastly, St. Joseph
invites all parents and teachers to see in every child, in every student the face of Jesus whom
the heavenly Father has entrusted to them.

52 Reflections on st. joseph