March St. Joseph-Most Valiant By: Emily Lugo, Director of Faith Formation
One of the virtues attributed to St. Joseph is “most valiant.” The definition of valiant is “possessing or acting with bravery or boldness.” This term is frequently used when describing war heroes or people who show courage or determination in the face of danger…yet it is not an attribute that people immediately think of when describing St. Joseph, the humble carpenter from Nazareth.
What is it that makes St. Joseph valiant? Initially, St. Joseph shows valor in the face of a spiritual battle. Put yourself in the shoes of Joseph. Can you imagine what he must have thought when he discovered his betrothed was pregnant? Scripture tells us, “Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly” (Mt 1:19). At that time in history, to become pregnant outside of the bounds of marriage—an act of infidelity— was enough grounds to have Mary stoned to death. Joseph was a devout observer of the Mosaic law, and when he first heard that Mary was pregnant, he responded with chivalry, not wanting to shame her or call attention publicly to her situation.
He must have had questions and doubts; this was even acknowledged in the dream he had when the angel of the Lord appeared to him: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home” (Mt 1:20). In the face of the unknown with an unimaginable situation, Joseph fought the spiritual battle within to trust in Mary and have faith in God that it was through the Holy Spirit that Mary conceived. With great faith, Joseph acted in valor to overcome his own doubts and took Mary into his house and claimed her as his wife. He faced gossip and scandal to protect the dignity of Mary, trusting in God’s revelation and his role in the story of salvation.
As the earthly father of Jesus, Joseph embraced fatherhood and committed himself to protecting and raising his child. Shortly after the birth of Jesus, Joseph again received a vision from the Angel of the Lord, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him” (Mt 2:13). Imagine the fear and adrenaline that must have been running through Joseph. His role as head of the house is to protect his family, and yet a very real and powerful force was threatening to kill his precious child. Joseph was courageous in his response, fleeing with his family to Egypt. They holy family became refugees and strangers in a foreign land. In Egypt Joseph acted with bravery and boldness to create a new life and find a way to provide for his family.
The Bible offers very few firsthand accounts of Joseph in scripture; however, we can continue to learn about who Joseph was through the man that Jesus became. Jesus can be considered the epitome of valiant. He experienced agony in the garden, sweating blood at the torment of what he was about to face. He could have run away. He could have disobeyed his heavenly father’s will. Yet, he was obedient to God and bravely faced his passion. This valor could not have occurred, had he not seen it demonstrated to him throughout his childhood. He was taught to have trust and hope in his Heavenly Father by examples of bravery and faith by his earthly father.
Today all Christians can learn about being valiant both spiritually and physically by looking to St. Joseph. His life demonstrates faithfulness and trust in God. His love of God allowed him to be bold and brave in the face of the unknown. Parents can gain encouragement from the model that St. Joseph gives of the domestic church. Men can learn from St. Joseph the valor needed to be faithful husbands and courageous fathers.
St. Joseph, pray for us! Page 1 Reflection Questions Which is harder to confront fear in your spiritual life or your physical reality? How is God calling you to be valiant in your current situation and state of life?
Action Item
An important part of our faith is sharing the good news with others. Jesus’ last words to the disciples in the Gospel of Matthew commissioned them to take on this task: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:19-20). Most Catholics are not comfortable with sharing their faith. This month put on the virtue of valor, and boldly share your faith with others. Make the sign of the cross and pray before meals when you are out in public; invite someone to join a Lenten Bible study; or post pics on social media when you participate in parish events.
Please visit youtube.com/StJosephRichardson for a video reflection.
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