Faith Shouldn't Be Complicated: Follow St. Joseph's Example

(Readings: Micah 5:1-4, 20; Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19;
Hebrews 10:5-10; and Luke 1:39-45)

During this 4th week of Advent, as we continue to prepare ourselves for the celebration of the birth of our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ, we should also reflect on our daily lives. As we prepare to meet the Lord face to face, either at the end of our life on earth or at His second coming, let us remember to daily honor His Mother and our Mother in the order of grace, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Isn’t it incredible that this young teenage girl had the fortitude and faith to give her "fiat," her yes, to the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation? She allowed the Holy Spirit to come over her, making her the one woman God chose in all human history to bring God incarnate into the world. Elizabeth said it best at the end of today’s gospel when she exclaimed, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

Let’s reflect for a moment on the journey Mary made to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. This trip was not a short, safe stroll. It is almost 100 miles from Nazareth to the place Elizabeth lived in Judah, so it would have taken several days. This is not a journey for a beautiful young woman to take by herself, so it must have come as quite a surprise when Mary approached St. Joseph and expressed a desire to visit her cousin Elizabeth.

While not revealed in scripture, saints such as St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Bonaventure, and St. Francis de Sales believe that St. Joseph accompanied Mary to Elizabeth’s home. This makes perfect sense because no good husband would let his wife make such a treacherous journey unaccompanied. Horrible things could have happened to Mary during this trip without her husband by her side to protect and care for her.

If St. Joseph did accompany the Blessed Mother on her trip to visit Elizabeth and witnessed this scene of joy and amazement by Elizabeth, this event—her own Epiphany—must have been profound.

Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit upon hearing Mary’s greeting and feeling the infant leap in her womb, cried out, “Blessed are you among women…”

If it is true that St. Joseph witnessed this scene, how might this have influenced his decision not to reject or divorce Mary, as recorded in the gospel of Matthew?

We don’t know the exact sequence of events between the Annunciation, the Visitation, and the Angel appearing to St. Joseph, telling him, “Do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived.” If St. Joseph was there during the encounter between Mary and Elizabeth at the Visitation, it could very well help explain why St. Joseph believed what the Angel told him. It would have reinforced what he had already heard from Elizabeth.

All speculation aside, it is always good to delve deeper into such a powerful and profound moment in the gospel. It helps us, as inquisitive humans 2000 years later, to connect with Elizabeth, John the Baptist, the Blessed Mother, and yes, St. Joseph too, even though it is not recorded that he was present.

However, as we have just completed the Year of St. Joseph in the Church, it is beneficial to spend some time reflecting on St. Joseph’s possible role in today’s gospel. Why? Because St. Joseph is the model of Simplicity, Humility, and Faith that we all should strive to follow.

Like every deacon, and every Christian for that matter, St. Joseph was the servant, protector, and provider of Jesus and Mary. Because of these essential roles he played in the life of the Holy Family, it is not only plausible but likely that St. Joseph was with Mary on her journey to visit Elizabeth.

We know that St. Joseph is rarely mentioned in scripture and none of his words are recorded. This isn't because he was absent or wasn’t doing anything; it was because he understood his role. Like John the Baptist, he knew that for Jesus to increase over time, he had to decrease. For Mary to live her fiat as the Mother of God, he had to live his life in Simplicity, Humility, and Faith.

My friends, as those called to serve Jesus and his body, the Church, it is important that we strive to emulate St. Joseph. We should not seek personal accolades or draw attention to ourselves but serve, protect, and provide for the needs of Jesus and the Church He started. The Church that is not just one among many denominations, but the one and only Church of Christ, the Catholic Church.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us examples of Simplicity, Humility, Service, and Faith like our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph. Please fill us with the Holy Spirit so that we may always serve Jesus and His Church with courage and charity, especially in these contentious times. Let us live the words of the Blessed Mother: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

Amen.