The Face of Mercy / Daniel Conway

St. Joseph was a father not born but made

(En Espanol)

On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Blessed Pope Pius IX’s proclamation of St. Joseph as Patron Saint of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis offers a pastoral reflection on fatherhood which he says is especially needed during this time of pandemic, social unrest and economic crisis.

In his apostolic letter “Patris Corde” (“With a Father’s Heart”), Pope Francis defines “fatherhood” in these terms:

“Fathers are not born, but made. A man does not become a father simply by bringing a child into the world, but by taking up the responsibility to care for that child. Whenever a man accepts responsibility for the life of another, in some way he becomes a father to that person” (“Patris Corde,” #7).

St. Joseph did not bring the child Jesus into the world, but he accepted responsibility for him and his mother with a father’s heart. The Gospels offer little information about this righteous man, Joseph, but what they do say provides us with a striking portrait of Joseph’s fatherhood.

Here is a brief summary of the Holy Father’s reflections on the fatherhood of St. Joseph:

—A beloved father. The greatness of St. Joseph is that he was the spouse of Mary and the foster father of Jesus. In this way, he placed himself, in the words of St. John Chrysostom, “at the service of the entire plan of salvation.”

—A tender and loving father. In Joseph, Jesus saw the tender love of God: “As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him” (Ps 103:13).

—An obedient father. In every situation, Joseph declared his own “fiat,” like those of Mary at the Annunciation and Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. In his role as the head of a family, Joseph taught Jesus to be obedient to his parents (Lk 2:51), in accordance with God’s command (Ex 20:12).

—An accepting father. Joseph accepted Mary unconditionally. He trusted in the angel’s words. Today, in our world where psychological, verbal and physical violence toward women is so evident, Joseph appears as the figure of a respectful and sensitive man.

—A creatively courageous father. Joseph was the man chosen by God to guide the beginnings of the history of redemption. He was the true “miracle” by which God saves the child and his mother. God acted by trusting in Joseph’s creative courage.

—A working father. St. Joseph was a carpenter who earned an honest living to provide for his family. From him, Jesus learned the value, the dignity and the joy of what it means to eat bread that is the fruit of one’s own labor.

—A father in the shadows. Being a father entails introducing children to life and reality. Not holding them back, being overprotective or possessive, but rather making them capable of deciding for themselves, enjoying freedom and exploring new possibilities.

These seven aspects of St. Joseph’s unique role as the earthly father of Jesus speak to the men, women and children of our time in powerful ways. We need strong father figures today more than ever, and the pope’s insights into the character of this extraordinary man help us see his fatherhood in all its depth and richness.

Pope Francis sees the beauty of fatherhood as the very opposite of an overbearing, oppressive male dominance. “Tender, loving and accepting” are the words he uses to illustrate a very different kind of paternal dignity:

“Every child is the bearer of a unique mystery that can only be brought to light with the help of a father who respects that child’s freedom. A father who realizes that he is most a father and educator at the point when he becomes ‘useless,’ when he sees that his child has become independent and can walk the paths of life unaccompanied. When he becomes like Joseph, who always knew that his child was not his own but had merely been entrusted to his care” (“Patris Corde,” #7).

The model offered to us by the life of St. Joseph is a paradox. On the one hand, a responsible father is present to his children. He cares for them, providing for their every need and protecting them from danger. On the other hand, he has the wisdom and humility to “let go,” allowing his children the freedom to make their own decisions and to learn from their mistakes.

St. Joseph, pray for us. Teach us to care for one another as you cared for your son and his mother.
 

(Daniel Conway is a member of The Criterion’s editorial committee.) †