Page 84 - Reflections on St. Joseph

We the Oblates of St. Joseph should not regret for not having any words spoken by Joseph
recorded in the gospel, because our Patron wants to teach us the lesson of silence. He
knew that the Father had confided a great secret in trust to him. He decided to keep
silence in order to keep that secret and to meditate and relish the treasure he found. He
did not want anyone who saw him to think of him other than a simple workman trying
to earn his daily bread, so that no word of his might cause an obstacle to the
manifestation of the Divine Word.

He remained breathless in wonder for what God had done to Mary and to himself. He felt
himself so overwhelmed by glory that only silence could express the depth of his
gratitude. He needed deeper and deeper silence and recollection in order to meditate on
the graces, the mysteries entrusted to him.

Some may think that St. Joseph the Silent man is only a poor old-fashioned saint who
lived and worked as a carpenter in the remote village of Nazareth, a man who has no
message for us today. On the contrary, it is really St. Joseph who teaches the modern
people of our century the most urgent and needed lessons of life. No other model could
serve the men of this present time, so badly in need of what makes true greatness. Modern
man appreciates nothing so much as excitement, noise, showy appearance, and quick
results. Faith in recollection, silence, and meditation is lacking. These important virtues
seem in the eyes of the world to be outworn and outdated today.

4. Life hidden in God

St. Joseph teaches us that true greatness consists in serving God and our neighbor. He
appears before us as the perfect servant, forgetful of self, desiring only his master’s glory.
He ordered his life along lines to procure that glory. He did not want to make his actions
shine in men’s eyes. His heart burned with love that was ever attentive to the slightest
sign of God’s Will. Thus, he reminds us of the primacy of interior and contemplative life.
He gives us the great lesson of subordinating all our actions to the interior life. By his life,
he proclaims that self-denial is indispensable in order to be really fruitful according to
God’s Heart. His message is that the essential is not to appear, but to be; not to bear a title,
but to serve.

To the worldly wise, whatever is opposed to the rights of the individual is anathema.
Everything should serve the individual and his supposed rights. The dream of many is
that they may make a name for themselves, be distinguished so that the rest of the
mankind will bow before them. Unfortunately, this temptation is increasing among us
religious too.

It is good to remember that the last General Chapter observed the symptoms of
individualism and pride in the reality of our Congregation. Some practical guidelines
were given to the formators to help the seminarians to overcome such tendencies.

60 Reflections on st. joseph