Saint Joseph is such an example to us. If only we could learn to see God the way that he did!
The other day I listened to a lovelymediation about Saint Joseph, which was published as a podcast by a beautiful priest who prayed with us for my beautiful baby niece last year when she was so very sick. The podcast can be found at the following link: https://fatherfladerblog.com/2021/03/04/st-joseph-great-saint-and-powerful-intercessor/.
Just as the Angel called Mary – “Holy, Fully of Grace”, Scripture says… “Joseph, being a just man” (Matthew 1:19). Saint Joseph too was filled with holiness.
God would not entrust His Beloved Son – God Himself – into the Earthly care of a man who was NOT just and prudent, chaste and strong, obedient and faithful and patient.
Imagine that life that Saint Joseph lived there in the same family as Our Blessed Mother and GOD
It causes me to reflect on all the different things that affect us in our lives…
When I was a little girl, I was the most horrible fussy eater that you could ever imagine. I was such a monster with food, that I never thought anything of stubbornly refusing to eat food that my poor mother had worked all day to cook for me. And so, my poor mother being far more generous, loving and maternal than I am now, would calmly make me separate meals – often she made 3 or 4 dinners a night to make sure that everyone of us had the food that we were happy to eat.
When I met my husband, I saw things differently. My beautiful husband – God bless him – grew up in Lebanon during the civil war. Not only were there some times when there was no food at all to eat, but for almost an entire year – when the country was experiencing food shortages – my mother-in-law was only able to cook only one meal of potato, olive and bread for her family each day, and even that was rationed. There was simply do other food to feed them.
An experience like that helps people to put things into perspective…
Needless to say, my husband is NOT a fussy eater. No matter what, the man will eat the food on his plate and say thank you for it. No matter how crazy the man makes me – and any spouse will tell you that there are times when their partner drives them insane – I can never fail to acknowledge this gratitude in my husband.
And this gratitude has had a curious affect on me during the years of our marriage...
Since my husband and I married, my eating changed remarkably. It very quickly became apparent to me that it is terribly embarrassing to complain about the food on your plate when the person sitting opposite you at the table is happily munching away and saying thank you at the end of the meal.
Your see, by living with a non-fussy eater – I, myself, became less fussy.
Now, I know that this is not the case in every household. Often fussy eaters remain fussy forever – much to the frustration of the cook! But the point of my silly little anecdote is that good habits can be contagious. The people that we associate with really do make a difference to the way that we behave.
If we are lucky, we will be like Saint Joseph and through the Grace of God we will recognise God inside everyone and through that perspective, we will always be surrounded by holiness. We will be surrounded by God.
If ever learn to really see that truly, we will be able to understand God’s words when Christ told us… “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.”
So, now, while I pray and live and interact, I pray for the wisdom to see God in everyone – even within my own family – as Saint Joseph did.
Only then will I be able to grow in Holiness.
For with prayer everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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