Recently we celebrated the feast day of St. Joseph. A descendant of David and husband of Mary, Joseph was chosen by God as the trustworthy guardian, protector and foster-father of our Savior, Jesus.
Scripture says little about
Joseph. We remember the story in Matthew's gospel of how Joseph was instructed by an angel to take Mary as his wife, that the child she carried was the Messiah and had been conceived by the Holy Spirit. Later, an angel warns Joseph to take his wife and child and flee to Egypt to avoid the wrath of Herod. Both texts reveal Joseph's obedience to God and his great devotion to Mary and Jesus. But of the other events in his life we know little....he lived the simple life of a carpenter in Nazareth.Joseph provides us with an example to follow. Of obedience to God's will. Of courage in the midst of difficulty. Of a simple life lived faithfully. Of profound humility. Though he remained in the background, his life resounds through the centuries in the glory of the Church he helped nurture. For in nurturing Christ, he nurtured His Body, the Church - you and me.
Another humble follower of Christ is Saint Andre Bessette, the first Canadian born male saint and a man who emulated Saint Joseph througout his life.
Born in Quebec in 1845 and the ninth of thirteen children, Andre was sick throughout much of his early years and then lost his parents to early deaths. Moving in with his aunt and uncle, Andre joined the Congregation of the Holy Cross in Montreal. Given his lack of formal education he was assigned to the role of doorman for the college. As a doorman, Brother Andre often received visitors, including many sick people seeking solace and help. Andre began praying for each one, anointing them with holy oil and asking Saint Joseph for his special intercession on their behalf. As word spread of the miraculous healings that occurred, more and more visitors began coming - as many as 300 a day. The healings continued as well.
Brother Andre always attributed the healings to Christ, shunning any recognition or notariety for himself. He refused to be photographed or interviewed and spent the rest of his life at the Congregation, serving at various times as a nurse, barber, caretaker and gravedigger. He died in 1937 at the age of 92. He was beatified in 1982 and canonized earlier this year.
In today's society we are encouraged to seek the limelight, to draw attention to ourselves. Saints Joseph and Andre however, focused their lives on Christ, not themselves. They lived humbly, simply, obediently, prayerfully. And in doing so, both were used by Christ to build up His Body, the Church.
May both of these men inspire us this Lent to reorder our lives. To live lives that resemble theirs: lives that are humble, simple, obedient, prayerful. History likely will not record the events of our lives either. But, through baptism, we, like Joseph and Andre have been called by God to be guardians and protectors of Christ's Body, the Church. Can you imagine a greater calling than that?!
Now go be a saint!
Brother Andre always attributed the healings to Christ, shunning any recognition or notariety for himself. He refused to be photographed or interviewed and spent the rest of his life at the Congregation, serving at various times as a nurse, barber, caretaker and gravedigger. He died in 1937 at the age of 92. He was beatified in 1982 and canonized earlier this year.
In today's society we are encouraged to seek the limelight, to draw attention to ourselves. Saints Joseph and Andre however, focused their lives on Christ, not themselves. They lived humbly, simply, obediently, prayerfully. And in doing so, both were used by Christ to build up His Body, the Church.
May both of these men inspire us this Lent to reorder our lives. To live lives that resemble theirs: lives that are humble, simple, obedient, prayerful. History likely will not record the events of our lives either. But, through baptism, we, like Joseph and Andre have been called by God to be guardians and protectors of Christ's Body, the Church. Can you imagine a greater calling than that?!
Now go be a saint!