This article
was first published in The
Universe
St Joseph Saint
for Fathers
By
Dwight Longenecker
My
friend Carol runs a Catholic
bookshop in
South Carolina—the heart of
America’s ‘Bible Belt.’ Carol
told me that every Friday a
suspicious looking man would
come into the shop and buy
a dozen little statues of Saint
Joseph. She finally got up
the courage to ask him why
he bought so many.
The
man looked a bit sheepish and
said, ‘I heard that if you
are selling your house and
you bury a statue of Saint
Joseph under the “For Sale” sign,
then the house will sell quickly.’
Carol
smiled, ‘That’s a bit superstitious,
but that’s what some people
think.’
‘Well’,
said the man, ‘I’m an estate
agent and I want to sell the
houses quickly so I’m giving
it a try.’
‘And
does it work?’
The
man grinned, ‘It sure does!
That’s why I have to buy so
many.’
‘Then
if you don’t mind me asking,’ said
Carol, ‘Why do you look so,
umm, shifty?’
‘Because
I’m a Southern Baptist. I thought
maybe we weren’t allowed to
buy statues of Saint Joseph.’
It
would seem that Saint Joseph
is the patron saint of both
Protestant and Catholic house
hunters. He is the saint of
house hunters because he had
to provide a home for Jesus
and Mary on their travels.
But in a more serious way Joseph
had to provide a home and security
for Jesus throughout his boyhood
life. In a wider sense, Joseph
is the patron saint of fathers
because he reminds us of our
most basic duty as Dads. We
are called to protect, guide
and care for our children.
This extends much further than
simply bringing home a pay
packet each week. As married
men we may wonder how we are
supposed to serve God and the
Church. If we have children
our primary vocation is to
help them grow up with strong
Christian values.
Our
society has a rather low view
of fathers at the moment. Dads
are seen as unreliable, lazy
and abusive. The role of father
is down played and Dads who
take their job seriously are
often humiliated by the media
as being old-fashioned and
oppressive. Some feminists
have attacked fatherhood generally
and blamed all society’s ills
on bad fathers. Its true that
there are bad fathers, but
there are many more good fathers.
There are even more men who
want to be good dads and need
all the help and encouragement
they can get. Saint Joseph
is the perfect patron saint
for modern fathers.
He
is an example for fathers in
four different
ways. First he is an example
in his role as protector and
provider. Saint Joseph reminds
us of our primary vocation
to look after our children
with all the compassion, care
and concern. We can muster.
St Benedict says the abbot
of a monastery has to show
the ‘tough attitude of a master
and the tender affection of
a father.’ The same applies
to ordinary fathers. We have
to be both tender and tough.
Our children are not pets which
we keep for our own pleasure.
They are a God-given responsibility.
Children are not just the duty
of women. Dads need to be involved
as well. Fathering a child
is easy. Being a father is
hard work.
Secondly,
Saint Joseph reminds us of
our responsibilities
as workers. Jobs these days
are temporary. The job market
is tough and competitive. Saint
Joseph is the patron saint
of workers because he got on
with the job. He worked with
his hands. He reminds us what
a job is for. Its not just
to earn money. Its to make
a difference in the world.
We must work not just to make
a high standard of living,
but to have a high quality
of life. If we are employers,
then Saint Joseph also reminds
us of the need for fair treatment
for the workers. If we are
unemployed or retired, then
Saint Joseph reminds us that
there is still work to be done—even
if it is part-time or voluntary.
Thirdly,
Saint Joseph reminds us of
our responsibility
as husbands. If we are married
then we have taken vows which
are just as serious and binding
as the vows of a nun or a priest.
We break those vows not only
by committing adultery, but
by sexual sin of any kind.
Saint Joseph’s chaste marriage
to the Blessed Virgin Mary
reminds us that purity within
our own marriages is God’s
high standard. In a sex-crazed
society, Saint Joseph reminds
us that there are higher values
than constant sexual satisfaction.
Saint Joseph
reminds us of our duty as fathers.
He reminds us of our responsibility
as workers or employers. He
reminds us of our duty as husbands.
But Saint Joseph not only reminds
us of these matters. He is
a powerful helper as well.
Once when I was unemployed
I prayed to Saint Joseph for
work and was offered an excellent
job within a few weeks. Saint
Joseph is a powerful prayer
partner. He will help us with
the difficult task of being
a father. Do we have a problem
with the children? Does it
seem like there is no way out?
A prayer to Saint Joseph will
often help us see the way through
the problem. Saint Joseph is
also helps in the area of temptation.
Do we have a problem with pornography
or do we wrestle with the desire
to be unfaithful in our marriage?
If are really resolved to avoid
the problem, then the prayers
of Saint Joseph really can
help.
Down
through the ages many Catholics
have
turned to Saint Joseph and
found his friendship and prayers
to be of great help. Saint
Teresa of Avila said, ‘I
know by experience, that the
glorious St. Joseph assists
us generally in all necessities.
I never asked him for anything
which he did not obtain for
me.’ One Catholic father who
I’ll call Mike says that devotion
to Saint Joseph has changed
his life. Before he began paying
attention to Saint Joseph and
asking for his help Mike’s
marriage was on the rocks because
of his unfaithfulness. He didn’t
care about his children and
he had trouble holding down
a decent job. Mike said things
began to change with the help
of Saint Joseph. By thinking
about Saint Joseph’s example
and asking for his prayers
Mike’s spiritual life, career
and family life has been turned
around.
There
are various resources to aid
a devotion to Saint Joseph.
A search on the web will give
you various sites for prayers
and devotions. Any Catholic bookshop
will stock books, medals and
statues of Saint Joseph. Saint
Joseph is more than a lucky charm
to help you sell your house.
He’s there as part of that ‘great
cloud of witnesses’ which the
Bible talks about. He’s a role
model, a spiritual mentor, a
father in God and a great wonder
worker. Be in touch.
Dwight
Longenecker is the author
of the daily devotional
guide, Listen My Son—St
Benedict for Fathers.
