"Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth." (Matthew 5:4)"Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth." (Matthew 5:4)
Fidelity to Grace
In the second Beatitude, Christ recommended a virtue which men find it particularly hard to practice - meekness. Among the moral virtues, meekness is the one most frequently misunderstood. Generally, it is looked upon as a passive virtue. Saint Thomas, however, does not so regard it. He associates it with the gift of fortitude, and considers it the special virtue required by those who would exert a holy violence in the acquisition of sanctity. "The kingdom of heaven," says Christ, "has been enduring violent assault, and the violent have been seizing it by force." (Matthew 11:12) Meekness is the resplendent jewel adorning those who have gained mastery over their anger, irritability, resentment, and impatience. It is the passport to security, tranquillity, and solid confidence amid the annoying and disturbing incidents which throng our day-to-day existence.
Unwavering fidelity to grace was the golden thread woven through the pattern of Saint Joseph's life. By it he won the favor of the Holy Spirit and merited the gift of fortitude, which perfected in his soul the virtue of meekness. Study the scene in which he learned that the proud Roman emperor had prescribed a registration of all his subjects, regardless of the hardships imposed. Saint Joseph's reaction was prompt and energetic. Without a word of complaint he set about the course of action which grace inspired him to take. While his neighbors grumbled about the order of Augustus, Saint Joseph began his preparations for the trip to Bethlehem. He knew that it takes scant effort to talk, to complain, to criticize. To obey, in silence, out of respect for authority, calls for a degree of patience, of meekness, of fortitude, which measures the stature of a saint.
Prayer
Dear Saint Joseph, teach me by the example of your holy life to react with meekness and fortitude to situations which irritate and annoy me. When my own weakness would incline me to grumble about assignments, to criticize those in authority, or to complain about difficulties, place on my lips the aspiration, "Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine!"
Concluding Prayer
Almighty Father, from whom all graces come: I praise and bless and thank Thee for Saint Joseph's fidelity to grace. Grant that, through his loving intercession, I, too, may be faithful to grace. O my powerful patron Saint Joseph, obtain for me the favor I now ask.
Fidelity to the Interior Life
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth" - the earth, or land, of their own hearts; a land inherently their own, yet jealously coveted by each man's deadly enemy, Satan. As Saint Paul describes it so vividly in his Epistle to the Ephesians, life is a constant warfare, in which Satan strives relentlessly for possession of man's immortal soul. To be victorious, one must plan his strategy wisely, evaluate his own strength and weakness, and anticipate the enemy's mode of attack. All this calls for introspection, self-examination, and awareness of the Holy Spirit who, as a sort of Divine Ally, dwells within the land. Successful campaigning demands constant and intimate communication with Him.
As a master strategist in this warfare, Saint Joseph has much to teach us. To ensure victory he recommends two measures: silence and close association with Jesus and Mary. By silence one gains the upper hand over his most unruly member, the tongue, of which Saint James says that it is "a little member, but it boasts mightily" (James 3:5). Mastery over all the manifestations of our irascible nature begins with mastery of the tongue. "If anyone does not offend in word, he is a perfect man, able also to lead round by a bridle the whole body." (James 3:2)
In Saint Joseph, the Church holds up to us the image of this "perfect man." Just as the Pharao said to the Egyptians of that other Joseph, so the Church bids us, in regard to Mary's spouse: "Go to Joseph and do what he tells you" (Gen. 41:55). His is the silence, not of the man who has nothing to say, but of one who is intent on nourishing the word of God planted within him. The heart in which silence does not reign produces an unlovely crop - frivolity, thoughtlessness, selfishness, vanity, rash judgments, and violations of charity - a perfect yield to serve as setting for Satan's unholy revelry. One who would prevent Satan from usurping the land of his heart, or who would reclaim it from Satan's proud advances, must begin with imitation of Saint Joseph in his practice of silence, and progress with him in the attainment of meekness.
Prayer
Dear Saint Joseph, in my warfare against Satan I must gain control of my tongue. Help me to make progress in the practice of silence that I may become increasingly aware of the presence of God and hold converse with Him in my heart. In moments of impatience assist me that I may not fall into faults of the tongue. Help me to speak to others as you would if you were in my place.
Concluding Prayer
Almighty Father, from whom all graces come: I praise and bless and thank Thee for Saint Joseph's fidelity to the interior life. Grant that, through his loving intercession, I, too, may be faithful to the interior life. O my powerful patron Saint Joseph, obtain for me the favor I now ask.
Devotion to Our Lady
For the development of any skill one is advised to imitate a master. This recommendation is equally important for those who wish to acquire a specific virtue. Certainly, in the practice of patience the example of Mary was an inspiring model for Saint Joseph. Consider one situation in which Our Lady displayed this virtue in a heroic degree.
On the day of the Archangel Gabriel's visit, Mary had conceived the Christ Child. In the mysterious designs of God, this fact was concealed from Saint Joseph, although it was revealed to Mary's cousin, Elizabeth. Soon after the Annunciation, Mary went to visit Elizabeth and probably remained with her until after the Baptist's birth. Upon her return to Nazareth, Saint Joseph became immediately aware that she to whom he was espoused was soon to be the mother of a child.
This was, without question, one of the most difficult situations of Mary's life. The mystery of the divine maternity, the rarest privilege ever conferred by God on one of His creatures, was still her secret. It was not for her to divulge it even to Joseph; she must wait for God's plan to develop as He willed. Meanwhile she understood the anguish of Saint Joseph, the inner conflict which was tormenting him. She knew he was filled with anxiety and grief, unable to understand what had happened; and few crosses are more painful than to have one's actions misunderstood by one whom we hold most dear.
Joseph's meekness and strength prevented any resentment or reproach from arising during the days when he silently and prayerfully weighed the course of action he should take. "Charity is patient, is not provoked; thinks no evil" (1 Corinthians 13:4,5). Trusting in Divine Providence, Mary bore the pain of Joseph's misunderstanding with the gentle patience of a truly valiant woman. And in proportion to the pain of the God-sent trial Mary and Joseph endured was their joy when the angel's message revealed to Joseph the mystery of the Incarnation and the selection of Mary by the Triune God.
Prayer
Dear Saint Joseph, be my strength when misunderstandings arise. Let me not show resentment in word or deed; and may I never insist upon justice at the sacrifice of meekness. Help me, all-powerful patron, to understand better the power of your kindness so that I may more readily practice the difficult but beautiful virtue of patience.
Concluding Prayer
Almighty Father, from whom all graces come: I praise and bless and thank Thee for Saint Joseph's devotion to Our Lady. Grant that, through his loving intercession, I, too, may be truly devoted to Our Lady. O my powerful patron Saint Joseph, obtain for me the favor I now ask.
Devotion to the Divine Child
Saint Joseph's carpenter shop was for him both a place of business and the school in which he learned the lessons of sanctity taught by the example of his Divine foster Son. Who could doubt that above all else he learned the lesson which Christ was later to urge upon all His disciples, "Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart" (Matthew 11:29)?
Work in a carpenter shop implies social contacts. Without stretching the imagination, one can envision the general run of Nazarene customers. Surely they included the faultfinders who complained about the grain of wood used in a piece of furniture they had ordered; the penny-pinchers who haggled over the price of an article; the inconsiderate who demanded immediate attention regardless of the pressure of other work; the irresponsible who on one day placed an order for an item of such-and-such proportions and the following day appeared with entirely different directions for its construction.
Many a time while Saint Joseph stood quietly planing a board or measuring a chest he observed his young Apprentice in His dealings with the people of Nazareth. Even as when he had heard the Boy, at twelve, discoursing with the priests in the Temple, he was now "amazed at His understanding and His answers" (Luke 2:47). Never did a customer's displeasure or abuse provoke a sharp answer. Never did the curve of His lips or the angle of an eyebrow indicate the slightest impatience. Christ had the strength to be meek. From Him, Saint Joseph can and will obtain for his clients the grace necessary for the practice of the virtue of meekness.
Prayer
Dear Saint Joseph, assist me in my daily examination of conscience that I may strive sincerely to detect my failures in the practice of meekness and humility. Help me to grow, as you grew, in knowledge and love of Christ that I may imitate His virtues and give glory to His name.
Concluding Prayer
Almighty Father, from whom all graces come: I praise and bless and thank Thee for Saint Joseph's devotion to the Divine Child. Grant that, through his loving intercession, I, too, may be truly devoted to Jesus. O my powerful patron Saint Joseph, obtain for me the favor I now ask.
- taken from Reflecting on Saint Joseph: A Nine-Day Devotion, by Sister Emily Joseph Daly, C.S.J.