JOSEPHITE SPIRITUALITY SEEDS
Monthly publication of the International Josephite-Marellian Center
June 2020

Joseph of Nazareth,
the Illustrious Descendant of David

“We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the Law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” (John 1:45).

Father Tarcisio Stramare, Oblate of Saint Joseph, teaches us that the term «son of Joseph» can be considered as a Jesus identity card. ("The evangelist John tells us that when the Apostle Philip met Nathanael, he said to him: «We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the Law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth» (Jn 1:45). «Son of Joseph» corresponds to the identity card of Jesus ...” (Father Tarcísio Stramare, OSJ, in the book “Com São José, na estrada de Jesus, 3° Dia”).

Father Stramare also teaches us that the term «Son of David», properly applied to Jesus, "passes to Jesus through Joseph, «son of David»." Let's see:

    “The qualification of «husband of Mary» is legally necessary and sufficient for Joseph, «son of David», to introduce Jesus into the Davidic genealogy with the same qualification as Joseph, that is, as a descendant of David. Each time that Jesus is acclaimed by the people as «son of David», implicitly his affiliation with Joseph is also declared, the husband of his mother Mary. Such recognition is indispensable for him to be declared "Messiah". The Davidic descent, necessary for this recognition, passes to Jesus through Joseph, «son of David»”.

Saint Bernard also points out that Joseph is truly a descendant of David. And he also teaches us that, more than just being a descendant of David through the flesh, that is, through genealogy, Joseph of Nazareth, for his faith and holiness, deserves to be treated by God as someone of his entire trust and someone with whom he could count on. to reveal important secrets and important responsibilities, including the mission to welcome, protect and educate the Messiah. Let's see:

“Yes, this man, this Joseph, is truly from the house of David, a true descendant of his royal line, of noble blood, even more noble in spirit. David's perfect son who did not degenerate from his father. Son of David not only for the flesh, but for the faith, for the holiness, for the dedication. Like another David, God recognized him after his own heart, and entrusted him with the most mysterious and the most sacred secret of his heart. As with a second David, God revealed to him the hidden and secret realities of his wisdom and granted him the grace to know the unknown mystery of all the princes of this world. Finally, what many kings and prophets wished to see and did not see, what they wished to hear and did not hear, was granted to him, to Joseph: not only to see him and to hear him, but to carry him, guide his steps , listen to him, kiss him, nourish him and watch him.” (Saint Bernard, quoted by Father Tarcísio Stramare, OSJ, in the book “Com São José, na estrada de Jesus, 3° Dia”).

Pope John Paul II also highlights that Joseph of Nazareth "was called by God to directly serve the Person and the mission of Jesus, through the exercise of his fatherhood" and that he exercised that mission in a spirit of total dedication and with unconditional love. Let's see:

    “St. Joseph was called by God to serve the person and mission of Jesus directly through the exercise of his fatherhood. It is precisely in this way that, as the Church's Liturgy teaches, he «cooperated in the fullness of time in the great mystery of salvation» and is truly a «minister of salvation.» His fatherhood is expressed concretely «in his having made his life a service, a sacrifice to the mystery of the Incarnation and to the redemptive mission connected with it; in having used the legal authority which was his over the Holy Family in order to make a total gift of self, of his life and work; in having turned his human vocation to domestic love into a superhuman oblation of self, an oblation of his heart and all his abilities into love placed at the service of the Messiah growing up in his house.»”

(John Paul II, Redemptoris Custos, 8)

Joseph's fatherly mission to Jesus was far from easy, but he performed it admirably. We will dedicate some of the next editions of “Seeds of Josephite Spirituality” to know the conditions in which Joseph and Mary of Nazareth lived and how, despite all the adversities encountered, they managed to make the Home of Nazareth a welcoming and conducive place for the growth and education of Jesus, as we summarize below:

    “His mission was very demanding, not limited to purely external assistance, providing the boy and his mother with what was necessary, and defending them against dangers. Joseph was to Jesus a father, in the true sense of the word. His love for Jesus was genuine and authentically paternal. Pope Pius IX was able to express this rich picture of Joseph's life very well when he said that he had, for a special heavenly gift, all the natural love, all the affectionate care that a father's heart can know.

    “We can thus say that Joseph was the only man on earth who had the great honor of sharing with God the Father the same filial invocation of Jesus. This honor, and at the same time great responsibility, was communicated to him by the express will of God - «... you will call him with the name of Jesus ...» (Mt 1:21) - thus conferring him the dignity of his fatherhood .

    “Joseph's vocation, and the consequent development of his special and very important fatherhood, gave him a love without reservations or reticence, a love expressed in service, sacrifice and generosity. He not only saw and heard the Son of God, but he carried him on his arms, guided him in the first steps, embraced him, kissed him, nourished him. Jesus, as God, had nothing to learn, but as a man, he had everything to be taught, and Joseph was his first teacher and educator. His task was to educate the Messiah in a job and in life's experiences.”

(Josephite Studies. Edition 06. Considerations about Saint Joseph)

Reflection and Sharing

Share on the teaching of Saint Bernard: Saint Joseph, “like another David, God recognized him after his own heart, and entrusted him with the most mysterious and the most sacred secret of his heart. As with a second David, God revealed to him the hidden and secret realities of his wisdom and granted him the grace to know the unknown mystery of all the princes of this world. Finally, what many kings and prophets wished to see and did not see, what they wished to hear and did not hear, was granted to him, to Joseph: not only to see him and to hear him, but to carry him, guide his steps , listen to him, kiss him, nourish him and watch him.”

Commitment of the Month

Exercise yourself in the practice of trusting in Saint Joseph, the one in whom Jesus fully trusted, and sharing with him your daily needs, joys and difficulties.