Guardian of the Redeemer!

Thursday, March 19, 2026

Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

2 Sam 7: 4-5a, 12-14a, 16; Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22; Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a

The Solemnity of St. Joseph invites us to practice and master the virtues that made him the Guardian of the Redeemer Himself. 

Whenever it is St. Joseph, we do not remember him as a man of many words but as a man of profound action, unshakable faith, and extraordinary obedience. St. Joseph’s was a life of hidden holiness. Hence, his feast calls for a reflection on those unique qualities that made him trustworthy in the eyes of God.

1. St. Joseph’s love for God was manifested in his love for Mary. Hence, we may call his love for Mary a deeply spiritual sort. In other words, Joseph loved Mary, who loved God and who was totally devoted to God. Hence, to love someone who loves God is to be drawn into that same divine relationship. Known for his protective and self-giving love, Joseph teaches us that love means safeguarding the dignity and vocation of others. In loving and protecting Mary and Jesus, Joseph demonstrated in his life that his heart was aligned with God’s own.

2. In his Apostolic Letter With A Father’s Heart, Pope Francis described St. Joseph as ‘A Father in the Shadows.’ As a father, Joseph was ‘beloved, tender and loving, obedient, accepting, courageous, working, and in the shadows.’ As our former Pontiff would hold, Joseph was all of these but in a very hidden way. Though he had direct communication with God through dreams, Joseph never boasted about it or sought recognition from it. His life reminds us that true greatness does not require visibility. Thus, Joseph teaches us the holiness of hiddenness. 

3. We find in the Gospels that St. Joseph and his silence are inseparable. However, Joseph’s portrayal ascertains that his was not a passive silence. In practicing active silence, Joseph was attentive, discerning, and responsive. Though he listened to God in silence, he acted with intent when he accepted Mary without fear, fled to Egypt to protect the child, returned to Israel in trust, and settled down in Galilee in obedience. In this way, Joseph practiced an ‘empowering silence,’ which closed itself to the call of ego and opened itself to God’s whispers. 

4. St. Joseph’s life is a reminder that true humility comes without any trace of insecurity. Joseph was a humble and absentee figure not out of weakness or fear but from his strength in God. Joseph teaches us that we do not need recognition to feel valuable or appreciation to remain faithful. Without drawing attention to himself, Joseph was a life-giving presence to Mary and Jesus. His life reminds us that true service flows from love. He teaches us the secret of supportive presence, guiding without domination, and serving without reward. 

5. Another indelible image of St. Joseph is his hardworking nature as a carpenter. Though he was the foster father of the Redeemer and the husband of Mary, the Mother of God, his poor background required him to be industrious at his profession to provide for the family. Joseph never sought privileges because of the greatness of his vocation. In working hard to feed his family, Joseph teaches us what it means ‘to practice the presence of God’ in our lives. As someone who was sure of God’s guiding presence in his life, Joseph did not fear the vicissitudes of life. 

6. In many ways, Joseph’s ‘yes’ to God’s will is to be counted on par with that of Mary’s fiat. The greatest example of his obedience comes from the fact that he obeyed God, though God revealed Himself to him only in dreams. The strength of his spirituality helped him discern God’s voice and obey it without any doubt or disillusionment. Each of his four dreams required him to act swiftly and with trust. Joseph showed in his life that God’s trust in him was not misplaced. Joseph teaches us that holiness is to faithfully respond to God’s will. 

Let us pray that we may lean on St. Joseph’s guidance to discern God’s will for our lives. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar