25
Joseph’s Fidelity
to Grace
By Grace, we mean the
enlightenment given by
God to the mind, and the
strength given by Him to
the will to avoid evil and
to do good. Grace is the
Hand of God pushing a
person in the right direction.
It is always gentle.
For Joseph, this grace began
at a very early age. He
prepared for the unknown
task ahead, by daily faithfulness to
grace. One who cooperates with all
graces and not just some, grows like a
giant. Joseph was like a man given
five talents who multiplied them so it
was said to him:
“Well done, good and faithful
servant; because thou has been
faithful over a few things, I will
set thee over many.” (Mt. 25: 21) ‘I
will give thee the grand task
of being husband to Mary and
guardian of Jesus.’
Faithfulness to God’s Grace prepared
Joseph for his special mission and it
will prepare us for what God has
planned for our lives. Whatever our
task may be, we will be ready to serve.
Joseph did not question the Angels’
voices. He obeyed immediately. He
was really way ahead of temptation.
There is no reason to try to make him
an old man, and so exempt him from
passion. Joseph was a tower of strength
because the whole structure of his
spiritual life was built on the firm
foundation of constant cooperation
with the Grace of God.
Joseph’s Fidelity
to the Interior Life
When we speak of the interior life of
St. Joseph, we mean the life he lived
in the presence of God, with his mind
turned to Him and his will inclined to
His wishes. The man devoted
to the interior life closes
the door of his soul to the
rush of daily activities,
retires within himself and
sits down in the quiet of
his inner soul alone with
His Maker. He took part in
the ordinary affairs of
social life; he was not a
recluse but a carpenter.
He was conscious of the
danger when he fled to
Egypt, but the innermost
part of him was always
turned to God. Joseph learned of God
as he watched the beauty of a sunrise
and sunset, the majesty of cloudflecked
skies; all of which spoke to him
of God’s beauty. Joseph’s thoughts and
reflections proceeded spontaneously
wishing for the glory of God, that all
men might come to know and love
Him. His soul echoed with the plea
taught by Christ: Thy Will be done
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Early in life, Joseph learned to subdue
his emotions of self-pity, jealousy,
undue anger and desire for revenge.
Through practice of the interior life
and regular prayer, self-control and
self-discipline, the soul of Joseph was
filled with quiet and calm. If we want
to do great work for God, we need not
leave our occupation, but learn the
interior life. The important thing is
not our place of work, but rather to
leave a place in our soul in which the
Holy Spirit can work.
Joseph’s Love for Jesus
Joseph knew Jesus was a Gift from
Heaven, the Promised One. Although
there was this mystery, it did not keep
the love of Joseph for Jesus from being
everything that the love of any father
for his son would be. Joseph watched
the Child grow, learn to crawl, toddle
and walk. He answered many questions
that the Child asked, as He became