St. Joseph the Mentor
The Catholic Church recognizes the crucial role St. Joseph assumed in the lives of Jesus and Mary. We celebrate his feast on March 20 this year and honor his many virtues by addressing him with several illustrious titles. In fact, we have an entire “litany” of more than twenty distinct attributes dedicated to imploring his assistance. To mention just a few, we invoke St. Joseph as:
+ Spouse of the Mother of God
+ Chaste guardian of the Virgin
+ Foster father of the Son of God
+ Head of the Holy Family
+ Model of artisans
+ Protector of the Church
+ Patron of the dying
Strangely absent is a title that identifies St. Joseph as a phenomenal teacher, even though the Bible doesn’t seem to support this. Jesus’ neighbors originally thought he was a simple craftsman. Years later they were so astounded by his profoundly rabbinic preaching they had to ask, “Is he not the carpenter’s son?” (Matthew 13:55).
However, our baptismal rite underscores the fact that the first teachers of all infants are their parents. As adults, we sometimes catch ourselves repeating the same pet phrases we heard from our folks when we were growing up. So we shouldn’t be surprised if some of the words Christ spoke during his ministry might also mirror what Joseph and Mary taught him while he was maturing in Nazareth (Luke 2:52).
The first of two possible examples was recorded in all four Gospels. What did Christ say while suffering a blood-soaking sweat in the Garden of Gethsemane? “Not my will but yours be done.” Can we hear how poignantly these words are reminiscent of Mary’s “may it be done to me according to your word” in her fiat in Luke 1:38 to the Archangel Gabriel’s announcement that she was to become the mother of the Savior?
The second was recorded when Christ said, “My yoke is easy, and my burden light” (Matthew 11:30). Is it possible that Jesus was echoing a phrase he had heard as a youngster in the woodworking shop?
Several months ago, I was fortunate to hear the author Phyllis Zagano imagining a time when Joseph began teaching Jesus the fundamentals of carpentry. He could easily have said, “Let’s start by constructing a yoke because that is easy and it makes the burden light.” While we have no historical proof of such a conversation, these words may have come from St. Joseph the mentor. We do know Christ voiced them when he taught his disciples, and us, to pick up our crosses daily and follow him. A
Holy Homework
Let’s find a picture of St. Joseph teaching Jesus some artisan craft and attach it to the fridge during March. Each time we see it, let’s ask St. Joseph to intercede on behalf of our first teachers, our parents, and for all the subsequent educators who have positively impacted our wisdom and our faith. Saint Joseph, humble tutor, pray for us. Amen.