Sunday, November 30th was the first day of Advent. For Christians all over the world, Advent is a time of thoughtful and prayerful reflection as we prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas. Whether you’re Catholic or Protestant, a follower of a different religious tradition, or perhaps not religious at all, please allow me to give you a little something to deepen your experience of Advent this year. Regardless of your belief system, we can all learn so many wonderful lessons from St. Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus and a man of strong faith, conviction, and courage. Consider checking out one of these St. Joseph books to take you through the next four weeks of Advent.
The Forgotten Man of Christmas: Joseph’s Story (Howard Edington)
What do you do when your young bride to be announces she’s pregnant…and that you are not the father? How do you handle this discussion when she goes on to tell you that the father is not another man, but is in fact God? And what if God sends you a message in a dream, via an angel who confirms that everything your bride has told you is correct, that she’s going to bear the Redeemer of the world, the promised Messiah spoken of in more than 300 prophecies? And you’re going to be the one tasked with raising him? Makes our own problems seem pretty small by comparison, doesn’t it? This is exactly what happened to a man named Joseph, a very ordinary, God-fearing man who lived 2000 years ago. We’ve all heard the stories, but the focus has often been on everyone but Joseph. So, take a little time this Advent to learn all about the “forgotten man of Christmas”.
Through the Heart of St. Joseph (Boniface Hicks)
Though he speaks no words in Scripture, St. Joseph’s message to us is resounding: he wants to lead us to Jesus. In Through the Heart of St. Joseph, Fr. Boniface Hicks reveals the path St. Joseph has laid out for us. Discover how St. Joseph’s vulnerability, littleness, silence, and hiddenness can transform and heal us. Fr. Hicks looks to the saints who lived the “Joseph Option” to show how we too can embrace a life of humble trust and steadfast courage. Through the Heart of St. Joseph proves with quiet conviction that if we entrust ourselves to the foster father of Our Lord, he will give us his love and protection–just as he gave it to Jesus.
Saint Joseph: The Man Closest to Christ (Sebastian Walshe)
What is the greatest title of Saint Joseph? While the Litany of Saint Joseph is filled with many rich titles describing Joseph’s virtues and duties-such as most just, most chaste, patron of the dying, terror of demons, and protector of the Holy Church-there is one title that stands out which is quietly absent from his litany: the man closest to Christ. Of all the men God has created, no one has been as close to Christ as Saint Joseph. He was the first man to hold God in his arms. He was the only man recorded to save Christ’s life. He was, ultimately, the man chosen from all time to be God’s earthly father. Just as his Son was prefigured in the Scriptures, Saint Joseph was also long foreshadowed in the Old Testament. Looking at these biblical types opens our eyes to the reality that Saint Joseph has many other titles, such as the provider of the Eucharist and the souls in purgatory. As the greatest of all the saints after Our Lady, Saint Joseph holds the key to opening the treasuries of Our Lord’s Sacred and Eucharistic Heart. To imitate Christ is the goal of our spiritual lives. And what better way to imitate Christ than to learn from Saint Joseph, the man who spent the most time with Him, the man closest to Christ!
Model of Faith: Reflecting on the Litany of Saint Joseph (Leonard J. DeLorenzo)
Saint Joseph alone was called to be a father to the Son of God, and his fidelity and courage show each of us how to respond to our vocation as a disciple of Jesus and friend of God. In his wisdom, the Lord empowers Joseph to open his fatherly care to all Christians, to show us how to hear the word of God and act on it, and to shine in every age as a model of faith. The Litany of Saint Joseph is a powerful prayer that leads us to consider the many ways in which Joseph faithfully and diligently carried out the will of God. As the litany guides us in proclaiming the wonders of Saint Joseph, we are drawn into contemplating the mysteries of God, whom Joseph never fails to praise and serve. Each of the reflections in this devotional focuses on one of the twenty-two names, titles, or honors of Saint Joseph that we encounter in his litany. As we pray to Saint Joseph, offering our petitions to his care, and contemplating his life and his witness, we are drawn into communion with God who yearns to dwell with each of us, and dwelt in this world in the household of his foster father Saint Joseph.
