My Brother Knights, 19th March each year, marks the feast of St. Joseph, the Husband of Mary and the Foster Father of Jesus. The Church has designated St Joseph as the Patron of all Catholic Men and encourages Men associations and societies in the Church to honor him this day and reflect on the qualities that made him the perfect husband for Mother Mary and foster parent to Jesus
Though one of the most prominent people in the life of Jesus Christ, St. Joseph, is also the quietest and as such, is one of the most overlooked people in the Bible and in the Holy Family. Yet Jesus lived under his roof and grew through his fatherhood. So it is not out of place that the Church has entrusted Catholic Men to his spiritual fatherhood to help us grow in virtue and closer to Christ. This is especially so because many are today confused about the times we are in when it comes to what it means to be a man or a father or a husband in the family.
(PRESIDENT ICCM-UNUM OMNES)
St Joseph provides for us a perfect example for solving the confusion through his qualities and virtues. Here is a man who was human, a real man like most men but was pure-hearted, virtuous, loved and obeyed God to the extent of surviving and triumphing over the difficult situations of accepting an already pregnant woman for a wife, loving her and bringing the foster child, the Lord Jesus Himself, to live under his roof. Not many men would pass this test.
There is no doubt that the world today is desperately looking for examples of manhood, fatherhood, and loving families. Many children are starving for good fathers, growing up in fatherless homes, not knowing what a father is and never experiencing the loving care of a father or a father who is present in their lives. The result is that many such children grow into adults with issues they are unable to deal with, some stemming from instability in their family origins, examples being tensions at home with the father, the absence of a father, father hurts as in fathers who sexually and physically abuse their children, or the lack of spiritual and emotional intimacy due to the absence of a relationship with a father.
St Joseph playing his role as the father in the Holy Family, joined Mary and Jesus to become the perfect model of a family, that all families should emulate. Men should get closer and learn from this model of a father. And not only men, but young people preparing for marriage could make a spiritual mentor couple from Joseph and Mary to whom they can seek intercession for successful marriages.
More importantly, today’s feast of St Joseph should help us to focus on our roles, not just as men in the lives of our families but also as husbands. Today we are called upon to examine our consciences relating to how we have lived our marital vows in reality. St Joseph was present in the life of Mary and Jesus all the way from when Mary was betrothed to him through accepting a pregnancy that was not his, at the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, going into hiding from Herod in Egypt, finding Jesus in the Temple till he finally died in the arms of Mary and Jesus.
Based on the example of St Joseph’s presence in the holy family, let us ask ourselves a few questions to help in our reflection for this day: First, how faithfully have we lived or are living our marital vows? Second how present are we in the lives of our wives, showing genuine interest and support in their affairs including their reproductive issues, education, career progression and the bringing up of our own children with them? Third, is it enough that we provide food, shelter and clothing but are never present physically to our wives at home? Why are we never seen anywhere with our wives, even sitting at different places in the Church? Apart from the day of our marriage in the Church when was the last time, we held the hands of our wives or showed any form of affection in public?
This presence of husbands in the lives of their wives is one of the most lacking needs in many families today. Many husbands make excuses of their careers and stay out of the home for hours and days. Some sleep in different rooms apart from their wives for all kinds of excuses and would not, even during weekends sit at table to share a meal. There are those who though live under the same roof with their wives, hardly share a smile, not to talk about having a hearty conversation with their wives.
My Brother Marshallan husbands, let us on this day, when the Church celebrates the feast of St Joseph, the husband of Mary, in a time that fortunately coincides with our Lenten observance, examine our lives as husband and truly and genuinely grade ourselves whether we have been good or bad husbands. Let us base the marking scheme on the vows we took on the day we married in the Church, Whatever grade we give ourselves, let us ask for the intercession of this great saint of husbands to make us still better husbands to our wives and fathers to our children. More than ever before, the world today needs his example of fatherhood and a husband. I pray that all Catholic Men would entrust themselves to his paternal care and to make them better fathers and husbands. St Joseph, Pillar of Families and Glory of Domestic life, Pray for us!
Finally, remembering that St Joseph did all he could to protect the infant Jesus from harm, let us ask him again for his intercession to protest us all from the scourge of this Covid-19 pandemic
SIR EDDIE PRAH, KSG
(PRESIDENT ICCM-UNUM OMNES)