As we continue to reflect on St. Joseph using Pope Francis Apostolic Letter “Patris Corde” the fourth section is entitled “An Accepting Father” and this is perhaps my favorite section of this letter. It speaks of a lived faith with each passage and stage of life and how in faith St. Joseph gives us an example of constant and faithful love and service. I would encourage you to pick up the letter, the link is below, and read it. It is short, so don’t breeze through the letter, rather take time and meditate on the beauty and life of St. Joseph.

Pope Francis writes, “Often in life, things happen whose meaning we do not understand. Our first reaction is frequently one of disappointment and rebellion. Joseph set aside his own ideas in order to accept the course of events and, mysterious as they seemed, to embrace them, take responsibility for them and make them part of his own history. Unless we are reconciled with our own history, we will be unable to take a single step forward, for we will always remain hostage to our expectations and the disappointments that follow.” (Patris Corde #4) Life doesn’t turn out the way we always hope. This past year of the pandemic has certainly taught us this lesson. The reality of reconciliation is so very important, not just in forgiving ourselves the past mistakes, but also the willingness to forgive others. We may not understand and should not forget the hurt and sin of the past but it should never become the anchor holding us back from sailing forth into greater love.
“The spiritual path that Joseph traces for us is not one that explains, but accepts. Only as a result of this acceptance, this reconciliation, can we begin to glimpse a broader history, a deeper meaning. We can almost hear an echo of the impassioned reply of Job to his wife, who had urged him to rebel against the evil he endured: “Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” (Job 2:10).” (Patris Corde #4) Pope Francis reminds us of how Joseph chose to listen and then act. He didn’t sit down and make a five year plan and then set up contingency plans and then go to focus groups to figure out his first step. All of these may be prudent but they can also allow the trust we should place in God to be eroded by our plans and not God’s plan for us. In my own life I have seen this play out over and over again and frustratingly realize I am a slow learner as I seek to interrupt God’s great design with my desire for little hills of victory. My story is one filled with the desire for explanations and clear roads instead of the love of the cross and the winding road of a life lived in passionate love of God.

“Joseph is certainly not passively resigned, but courageously and firmly proactive. In our own lives, acceptance and welcome can be an expression of the Holy Spirit’s gift of fortitude. Only the Lord can give us the strength needed to accept life as it is, with all its contradictions, frustrations and disappointments.” (Patris Corde #4) This is an “AMEN” moment of joy. The gifts of courage and fortitude from the Holy Spirit are part and parcel of our lives and Christians and to pray for these gifts and use them with joy and love is so very important. The way of faith is always bound by the desire to serve and the freedom to love. Service of our brothers and sisters isn’t drudgery nor is the gift of loving forgiveness a surrender to hopelessness but rather the call to conversion and transformation. We see this in St. Joseph’s life but also in the lives of so many of our brothers and sisters who choose to act in following the will of God in life and in death.
“Our lives can be miraculously reborn if we find the courage to live them in accordance with the Gospel. It does not matter if everything seems to have gone wrong or some things can no longer be fixed. God can make flowers spring up from stony ground. Even if our heart condemns us, “God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” (1 Jn 3:20).” (Patris Corde #4) I have witnessed this transformation and conversion so many times in my short time as a priest and can now recognize this blessings in so many steps and stories of my whole life from my childhood in Idaho, my time in the Marine Corps, my wandering in the desert searching for the path to follow until my missionary work in New Mexico, my teaching career and finally my call to serve God as a priest. I often thought everything had gone wrong and life had filled my basket with rotten fruit but God was always there. This is a lesson we must hand on to others. It is, as the quote below reminds us, a journey without shortcuts. Each and every step we take with Jesus is a moment of growth in faith, hope and love and we are each called to share them with one another in the peace and reconciliation of life.
“Nor should we ever think that believing means finding facile and comforting solutions. The faith Christ taught us is what we see in Saint Joseph. He did not look for shortcuts, but confronted reality with open eyes and accepted personal responsibility for it.” (Patris Corde #4)

God Bless
Fr. Mark

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 
To you God entrusted his only Son; 
in you Mary placed her trust; 
with you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too,
show yourself a father 
and guide us in the path of life. 
Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, 
and defend us from every evil. Amen.