Anyone who loses his life
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
On Friday last week we celebrated the Feast of St Joseph. This year this feast has taken on special significance because Pope Francis has declared this year, 2021, a Year of St Joseph. He did this in honour of the decision of Pope Pius IX, 150 years ago, to choose St Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church.
Pius IX had received encouragement to do this from Catholics across the world. This reflects a growing devotion to him during the nineteenth century. Here in Tasmania this is reflected when the first church built in Hobart in 1841 was named in honour of St Joseph. St Mary Mackillop chose St Joseph as the patron of her religious congregation formed to provide education in children in rural and remote areas in Australia.
Devotion to St Joseph has continued to grow within the Church and this year provides us with an opportunity to give more attention to him.
While we have only scant information about him from Sacred Scripture, we can still identify many attributes that have inspired Catholic devotion to this saint.
In a series of surprising events St Joseph found himself thrust into the role of being a father to Jesus, the Son of God. He was entrusted with the care of the Holy Family such that his whole life now revolved around his responsibility to protect and care for them. Whatever plans he may have had for his life had to be laid aside as he was caught up in the drama of the birth and upbringing of Jesus. This called forth great trust in God and at times personal courage. St Paul VI described his life as “a sacrificial service to the mystery of the incarnation and its redemptive purpose”. In this he is a model for all fathers called to devote their lives to the good of their family.
St Matthew describes him simply as a “just man”. When his discovered that the woman he was engaged to was with child, he revealed his willingness to protect Mary’s good name, her dignity and her life. Pope Francis commented that in this he is a model for men in respect for women.
Joseph showed on four separate occasions, when visited by an angel, his preparedness to do whatever God asked of him. When he received the angelic message, he did not hesitate to obey. Sacred Scripture reveals not one word spoken by St Joseph. What it does reveal is a man who responded, without consideration for his own needs, to the responsibilities placed upon him. The Scriptures simply record, “When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord told him to do”. In this lies an example and inspiration to us – when we recognise that God is asking of us, we obey without question.
His life was completely focussed God’s call to him to become the guardian and protector of the Holy Family. His whole destiny revolved around this critical responsibility. His whole life had this one purpose. As
Guardian and Protector the Holy Family, he is a most suitable patron for the Universal Church.
In the Gospel reading for this Fifth Sunday in Lent, we hear the Lord teaching, “Anyone who loves his life loses it, anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life”. St Joseph lived this as his own life was, in a way, taken from him. No doubt he had his own vision of how his life would go. It did not turn out anything like what he would have expected. Joseph accepted what was being asked of him and responded in a self-sacrificing way. Today he is universally honoured. He lost his life in this world, but kept it for eternal life.
As we approach Holy Week and the annual commemoration of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord, let us reflect on St Joseph, that just man, that faithful man, who embraced all that God asked of him and played a critical role in ensuring that the plan of God for the salvation of the world would be realised.
Archbishop Julian Porteous
Sunday, 21 March 2021