Nails
By Father Leonard Feeney, M.I.C.M.
Whenever the bright
blue nails would drop
Down on the floor of his carpenter
shop,
Saint Joseph, prince of carpenter men,
Would stoop to
gather them up again;
For he feared for two little sandals
sweet,
And very easy to pierce they were
As they pattered over
the lumber there
And rode on two little sacred feet.
But alas, on a hill
between Earth and Heaven
One day — two nails in a cross were
driven,
And fastened it firm to the sacred feet
Where once rode
two little sandals sweet;
And Christ and His mother looked off in
death
Afar — to the valley of Nazareth,
Where the carpenter’s
shop was spread with dust
And the little blue nails, all packed in
rust,
Slept in a box on the window-sill;
And Joseph lay
sleeping under the hill.
As Father's Day approaches, have you ever considered that perhaps the most famous father of all is relatively unknown? In fact, he wasn't even really a “physical father.” We do not know a single spoken word from the man. However, though accounts of others, we do know this good Jewish father was responsible for the religious education of his son including teaching him to read the sacred scriptures.
St. Joseph must have been a fine, masculine example for Jesus considering that God, the Father, had entrusted His Son to his care. Joseph was married to Mary, mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus, yet he is a silent figure of the New Testament.
“Catholic Straight Answers” (2021) concludes …
“The Gospel does not record one spoken verse for St. Joseph. Nevertheless, what this great saint did in his life for God speaks volumes. To appreciate him and his role in salvation, we need to glean the Gospels …
“St. Joseph fulfilled his obligations courageously. Throughout the gospel he faithfully and unquestioningly obeyed the commands of God: taking his family to the safety of Egypt to flee the wrath of King Herod; returning to Nazareth; presenting his child in the Temple for circumcision and formal presentation; and traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.
“He accepted the responsibility of his vocation– being the faithful spouse and father. He provided the best he could for his family, whether that meant the stable in Bethlehem or the home in Nazareth …
“To provide for his family, St. Joseph worked as a carpenter … As a good Jewish father, St. Joseph passed this trade onto his Son, and indeed Jesus is known as “the carpenter’s son” (Matthew 13:55) and “the carpenter” (Mark 6:3).”
(“Who was St. Joseph?” Catholic Straight Answers. 2021.)
Joseph first appears in the Bible in the gospels of Matthew and Luke; in Matthew, Joseph's lineage is traced back to King David. Because of this ancestry, St. Joseph is the linkage between the old covenant made with Abraham and Moses, and the new, perfect, and everlasting covenant which will be made through the blood of Jesus.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the Apocryphal Date for Joseph's birth is 90 BC in Bethlehem and the Apocryphal Date of his death is July 20, AD 18 in Nazareth.
Everything we know about Saint Joseph comes from the Bible, and mentions of him are underwhelming. The 13 New Testament books written by Paul (the epistles) make no reference to him at all, nor does the Gospel of Mark, the first of the Gospels. Joseph first appears in the Bible in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, one of which (Matthew) traces Joseph's lineage back to King David.
To add to the problem of not knowing enough about Joseph, some apocryphal writings – such as the second-century Protevangelium of James (not to be confused with the Gospel of James) and the fourth-century History of Joseph the Carpenter (a compilation of traditions concerning Mary, Joseph, and the holy family, probably composed in Byzantine Egypt in Greek in the late sixth or early seventh centuries) – muddy the historical waters further, presenting him as a widower with children when he met Mary and claiming that he lived to the age of 111. These claims, however, are spurious and are not accepted by the church.
(Editors.”Saint Joseph.” Biography. A&E. Updated September 30, 2020.)
A&E's “Biography” series summarizes the events of Saint Joseph's life:
After marrying Mary, Joseph found that she was already pregnant, and being "a just man and unwilling to put her to shame" (Matt. 1:19), he decided to divorce her quietly, knowing that if he did so publicly, she could be stoned to death. An angel, however, came to Joseph and told him that the child Mary carried was the son of God and was conceived by the Holy Spirit, so Joseph kept Mary as his wife.
“After Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, an angel came to Joseph again, this time to warn him and Mary about King Herod of Judaea and the violence he would bring down upon the child. Joseph then fled to Egypt with Mary and Jesus, and the angel appeared again, telling Joseph that Herod had died and instructing him to return to the Holy Land.
“Avoiding Bethlehem and possible actions by Herod's successor, Joseph, Mary and Jesus settled in Nazareth, in Galilee. The Gospels describe Joseph as a "tekton," which traditionally has meant 'carpenter,' and it is assumed that Joseph taught his craft to Jesus in Nazareth. At this point, however, Joseph is never mentioned again by name in the Bible – although the story of Jesus in the temple includes a reference to 'both his parents.'"
(Editors.”Saint Joseph.” Biography. A&E. Updated September 30, 2020.)
“Catholic Straight Answers” tells us tradition holds that St. Joseph died in the presence of Jesus and Mary before Jesus began His public ministry. This belief is based on two points:
* First, he never appeared during the public ministry while Mary did, like at the wedding feast at Cana; and
* Second, from the cross, Jesus entrusted the care of His mother to St. John the apostle, indicating she was a widow with no other children to care for her.
For this reason, St. Joseph is the patron saint of a holy death. Although not defined by the Magisterium, St. Francis de Sales (d. 1622) believed that St. Joseph was assumed body and soul into Heaven.
Already a patron saint of Mexico, Canada and Belgium, in 1870, Joseph was declared patron of the universal church by Pope Pius IX, and in 1955 Pope Pius XII established May 1 as the "Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker" to counter the Communists' May Day.
John Paul II in his apostolic exhortation “The Guardian of the Redeemer” calls Joseph the just man. Some say that there was no grace ever given to any of the saints (except Mary) that was not given to St. Joseph as well. He is considered the greatest of Saints because he was the closest one to Jesus and to the Blessed Mother. Would not Saint Joseph also be the most eminent father?
To close this entry commemorating Father's Day, I believe a pertinent prayer seems appropriate. The Catholic prayer, "An Ancient Prayer to Saint Joseph, is considered a powerful novena (recited for nine straight days) to Saint Joseph, the foster father of Christ. After the Virgin Mary, Roman Catholics believe that Saint Joseph is the most beloved and efficacious saint in heaven, as well as a guardian and protector of the Church.
This prayer was found in the 50th year of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In 1505, it was sent from the pope to Emperor Charles when he was going into battle. “Whoever shall read this prayer or hear it or keep it about themselves shall never die a sudden death or be drowned, nor shall poison take effect on them – neither shall they fall into the hands of the enemy or be burned in any fire or be overpowered in battle. Say for nine mornings for anything you desire. It has never been known to fail, provided that the request is for one's spiritual benefit or for those whom we are praying for."
An Ancient Prayer to Saint Joseph
“O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in thee all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph, assist me by thy powerful intercession and obtain for me all spiritual blessings through thy foster Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord, so that, having engaged here below thy heavenly power, I may offer thee my thanksgiving and homage.
“O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating thee and Jesus asleep in thine arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near thy heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath.
“St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for me.”
(ThoughtCo. “An Ancient Prayer to Saint Joseph.” Learn Religions. April 12, 2018.)
Champaigne, Philippe de: The Dream of Saint Joseph
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