“For this just man was given to you
as spouse to the Virgin Mother of God
and set as a wise and faithful servant
in charge of your household
to watch like a father over your Only Begotten Son.”
-- Preface of the Solemnity of Saint Joseph
Fatherhood is full of surprises. And with those surprises come moments of joy and sadness, excitement and anxiety, exhilaration and exhaustion. There are days that feel like they will never end—especially when children are young—and then years that, in hindsight, seem to have passed in an instant as they grow older. And through it all, there is an unceasing sense of responsibility—to keep them safe, to raise them well, and to prepare them to go out into the world on their own someday.
On this Solemnity of Saint Joseph, we are invited to reflect on the example provided by Jesus’ earthly father, beginning with the surprise of all surprises recounted in today’s Gospel reading from Matthew. There, we hear about the appearance of an angel in Joseph’s dream, informing him that his wife, Mary, is pregnant with Jesus, conceived through the Holy Spirit—God made flesh. Who would have blamed Joseph for reacting to this jarring claim with doubt, skepticism, or even outright dismissal? Yet instead, Joseph responds with complete trust in what he has been told, immediately taking on the assignment—the duty—entrusted to him: to care for Mary and her unborn son, Jesus.
Joseph’s steadfast and faithful service to the Holy Family is a recurring theme throughout the readings and prayers for today’s Mass. The preface that opens the Eucharistic Prayer for today’s Solemnity offers a particularly striking account of Joseph’s virtues. There, he is described as “a just man” and “a wise and faithful servant” who “watched like a father” over God’s Only Begotten Son. May the example of Joseph remind us of all those in our lives—perhaps our fathers and other father figures, but also other family members, mentors, teachers, coaches, and others—whose devotion, care, and support have helped us grow into adults striving to live with purpose, integrity, and faith.
Joseph’s presence in the Gospels is brief. His final appearance comes when he and Mary realize that 12-year-old Jesus is missing, only to find him three days later in his “Father’s house,” the Temple in Jerusalem (a passage from Luke that is an optional reading for today’s Solemnity). Joseph’s story ends here, his faithful service to his wife and her son seemingly complete. Yet Jesus’ mission and ministry were only just beginning, as he went out into the world, changing it forever.
