JOSEPHITE SPIRITUALITY  SEEDS

Monthly publication of the International Josephite-Marellian Center. April 2023

1.   Welcoming

2. Opening Prayer

3. Theme of the Month:

Joseph, the outstretched hand of the Heavenly Father to his Son on earth

         “We could say that (St. Joseph) was the outstretched hand of our heavenly Father reaching out to his Son on earth. Joseph cannot fail to be a model for all vocations, called to be the ever-active hands of the Father, outstretched to his children”.

(Message from Pope Francis for the 58th World Day

of Prayer for Vocations. April 25, 2021)

         We continue the study of the precious guidelines of Pope Francis to help us answer an important question: God calls us to “build a great human family united in love”. But how to do this in practice?

6) Saint Joseph, the outstretched hand of the Heavenly Father to his children

         Also in the Message for the 58th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Pope Francis teaches us that Saint Joseph knew how to incarnate the oblative meaning of life. Listen to Pope Francis:

         “A second word marks the journey of Saint Joseph and that of vocation: service. The Gospels show how Joseph lived entirely for others and never for himself. The holy people of God invoke him as the most chaste spouse, based on his ability to love unreservedly. By freeing love from all possessiveness, he became open to an even more fruitful service. His loving care has spanned generations; his attentive guardianship has made him patron of the Church.

         “As one who knew how to embody the meaning of self-giving in life, Joseph is also the patron of a happy death. His service and sacrifices were only possible, however, because they were sustained by a greater love: «Every true vocation is born of the gift of oneself, which is the fruit of mature sacrifice. The priesthood and consecrated life likewise require this kind of maturity. Whatever our vocation, whether to marriage, celibacy or virginity, our gift of self will not come to fulfilment if it stops at sacrifice; were that the case, instead of becoming a sign of the beauty and joy of love, the gift of self would risk being an expression of unhappiness, sadness and frustration» (Patris corde, 7).”

(Message from Pope Francis for the 58th World Day

of Prayer for Vocations. April 25, 2021)

         “For Saint Joseph, service – as a concrete expression of the gift of self – did not remain simply a high ideal, but became a rule for daily life. He strove to find and prepare a place where Jesus could be born; he did his utmost to protect him from Herod’s wrath by arranging a hasty journey into Egypt; he immediately returned to Jerusalem when Jesus was lost; he supported his family by his work, even in a foreign land. In short, he adapted to different circumstances with the attitude of those who do not grow discouraged when life does not turn out as they wished; he showed the willingness typical of those who live to serve. In this way, Joseph welcomed life’s frequent and often unexpected journeys: from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census, then to Egypt and again to Nazareth, and every year to Jerusalem. Each time he was willing to face new circumstances without complaining, ever ready to give a hand to help resolve situations. We could say that this was the outstretched hand of our heavenly Father reaching out to his Son on earth. Joseph cannot fail to be a model for all vocations, called to be the ever-active hands of the Father, outstretched to his children.”

(Message from Pope Francis for the 58th World Day

of Prayer for Vocations. April 25, 2021)

Let us pray to Saint Joseph to help us understand that, like him and counting on his fatherly protection in our lives,

 We can and must live as he lived, dedicating ourselves more and more to others than to ourselves, because “it is more joyful to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

 We can and must discover that in service and selflessness, living a free and liberating love, without any desire for possession, one discovers the value of the oblative meaning of life.

 We can and must discover that Saint Joseph’s loving care for Mary and Jesus did not end with his holy death. His loving care has crossed the generations and continues in his mission as Patron of the Church and, in particular, protector of all vocations.

 We can and must discover that “every true vocation is born of the gift of oneself, which is the fruit of mature sacrifice. The priesthood and consecrated life likewise require this kind of maturity”. Let us pray that those who have been called to serve the Lord, in the priesthood and in the consecrated life, discover in Saint Joseph a loving Father who, just as he loved Jesus with a father’s heart, so he may also love them with love of equal solicitude.

 We can and must discover that “whatever our vocation, whether to marriage, celibacy or virginity, our gift of self will not come to fulfilment if it stops at sacrifice; were that the case, instead of becoming a sign of the beauty and joy of love, the gift of self would risk being an expression of unhappiness, sadness and frustration.”

 We can and must discover that “for Saint Joseph, service – as a concrete expression of the gift of self – did not remain simply a high ideal, but became a rule for daily life”. Let us pray for all those who live the matrimonial, celibate or virginal vocation, that they may discover the joy of making their lives a service for the interests of Jesus.

 We can and must discover that Saint Joseph “cannot fail to be a model for all vocations, called to be the ever-active hands of the Father, outstretched to his children”.

         At that time, Joseph was the outstretched hand of the Heavenly Father to his Son on earth. As Pope Saint John Paul II taught us, “The growth of Jesus “in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man” (Lk 2:52) took place within the Holy Family under the eyes of Joseph, who had the important task of “raising” Jesus, that is, feeding, clothing and educating him in the Law and in a trade, in keeping with the duties of a father”.

(Saint John Paul II. Apostolic Exhortation Redemptoris Custos, 16)

         Today, Joseph is the outstretched hand of the Heavenly Father for his children on earth. Those who live the matrimonial, celibate or virginal vocation are all under the paternal protection of Saint Joseph, even if they don’t know it yet. As St. Joseph Marello taught us: Let us rejoice in being protected by St. Joseph, who is so powerful with Jesus that he does not know how to deny him anything. Jesus, on this earth, only continually gave everything without receiving anything from anyone; only from Mary and Joseph did he receive so many services. Now he likes to repay in heaven the services he received on earth, and so he grants St. Joseph whatever he asks. And Saint Joseph, who needs nothing more for himself, asks and receives for us, who are his affectionate and devoted children”.

(Saint Joseph Marello)

4. Reflection and Sharing

         Share about the teachings of Pope Francis contained in this “Josephite Spirituality Seeds”.

5. Commitment of the Month

         Actively participate in the initiatives of the Month of Saint Joseph that we are celebrating.

6. Final Prayer.