St. Joseph: He may be quiet, but he's faithful
Ask for something big today! ...And some updates
Today is a great feast in our house. I was trying to remember when my devotion to St. Joseph really exploded, and perhaps it is fitting that I can’t. I have apologized to him about it, because I know it was probably in response to an incredible prayer he answered. But there have been so many since then–big and small–that I can’t pinpoint the origin. And he probably likes that.
I had heard for years that St. Teresa of Avila was devoted to Joseph and went to him for everything. He healed her of paralysis, and she became devoted to spreading his cause. If he’s good enough for Teresa, he’s good enough for you. It’s worth quoting her at length (emphasis mine):
“I took for my patron and lord the glorious St. Joseph, and recommended myself earnestly to him. … I cannot call to mind that I have ever asked him at any time for anything which he has not granted; and I am filled with amazement when I consider the great favors which God hath given me through this blessed Saint; the dangers from which he hath delivered me, both of body and of soul. To other Saints, our Lord seems to have given grace to succor men in some special necessity; but to this glorious Saint, I know by experience, to help us in all: and our Lord would have us understand that as He was Himself subject to him upon earth--for St. Joseph having the title of father, and being His guardian, could command Him--so now in heaven He performs all his petitions. I have asked others to recommend themselves to St. Joseph, and they too know this by experience; and there are many who are now of late devout to him, having had experience of this truth….
“Would that I could persuade all men to be devout to this glorious Saint; for I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God. I have never known any one who was really devout to him, and who honored him by particular services, who did not visibly grow more and more in virtue; for he helps in a special way those souls who commend themselves to him. It is now some years since I have always on his feast asked him for something, and I always have it. If the petition be in any way amiss, he directs it aright for my greater good.
“If I were a person who had authority to write, it would be a pleasure to me to be diffusive in speaking most minutely of the graces which this glorious Saint has obtained for me and for others. But that I may not go beyond the commandment that is laid upon me, I must in many things be more brief than I could wish, and more diffusive than is necessary in others; for, in short, I am a person who, in all that is good, has but little discretion. But I ask, for the love of God, that he who does not believe me will make the trial for himself--when he will see by experience the great good that results from commending oneself to this glorious patriarch, and being devout to him. Those who give themselves to prayer should in a special manner have always a devotion to St. Joseph; for I know not how any man can think of the Queen of the angels, during the time that she suffered so much with the Infant Jesus, without giving thanks to St. Joseph for the services he rendered them then. He who cannot find any one to teach him how to pray, let him take this glorious Saint for his master, and he will not wander out of the way.
“May it please our Lord that I have not done amiss in venturing to speak about St. Joseph; for, though I publicly profess my devotion to him, I have always failed in my service to him and imitation of him. He was like himself when he made me able to rise and walk, no longer a paralytic; and I, too, am like myself when I make so bad a use of this grace.” from the Autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila)
Teresa makes an important point: it’s not enough to pray to St. Joseph. We also must imitate him.
And while I don’t remember what prayer was answered to begin my great love for St. Joseph, I could point you to many other prayers that have been answered since then. He has faithfully accompanied me–or rather, led me–through many twists and turns of life, especially in the last five years. If you don’t know Joseph, I would recommend four pieces of spiritual reading for you:
Pope Francis’ letter Patris Corde (the shortest of all of these - you can read it today in honor of his feast)
John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation Redemptoris Custos
Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father by Father Calloway
The Mystery of Joseph by Marie-Dominique Philippe
One word of warning about St. Joseph, however. He’s quiet. He’s there, and he’s listening, but he’s quiet. Then suddenly, if he wants you to move, he’s loud and persuasive and you gotta move. I like to think that he’s smiling about it the whole time, too. He knows what God did to him, waking him up in the middle of the night and making him head to Egypt. Watch out: he might do it to you, too.
But honestly, you have to be okay with the silence for a time. I have given an intention to Joseph that he’s had for quite some time. Every once and awhile I get a little glimmer that he’s up there working, but mostly, it’s quiet. It’s a good reminder that he’s not a vending machine. Am I willing to be faithful in the silence? Am I willing to trust in the waiting? More importantly than answering my prayers, he’s helping me grow in those virtues that he lived: faith, trust, and hope. The first time we meet Joseph, what's the message? Be not afraid, Joseph. Now he’s telling me: Be not afraid, Joan. Just keep following me. I may be leading you into Egypt. I may be quiet. But I have Jesus here, tucked under my arm. He's sleeping, so he’s quiet too. But just keep following.
I know it seems we started Lent just yesterday, and well, that’s because we kind of did. So it might seem a little early to start thinking about what you’re going to do for Easter. (And depending on what you gave up, you might be thinking, “I know exactly what I’m going to do. Eat chocolate cake.”)
But I think it’s important to avoid the Easter crash in our spiritual life. You know, we’ve planned out what to do for Lent, we’ve given up some things and added some things to our lives, we are praying a little more or reading a little more or going to Mass a little more… and then Easter comes, and it’s way too easy to slip back into our pre-Lent spiritual routines.
It’s especially difficult when every Catholic organization, website, app, diocese, and parish gives us all sort of things to do during Lent, and everything just drops off until Advent. Well, I’m here to help.
Ave Maria and I have put out a free group study guide for my book, Opening the Holy Doors. I know there are a lot of parishes using my book as a Lent study (in fact, it’s now available in Braille because of that! Thanks, Xavier Society for the Blind!), and that's great. But I would like to offer it to you as a wonderful Easter study.
You can download it for free here. It breaks down how to do the entire book with a small group over seven or eight sessions: perfect for Easter! What better time to speak about God loosening the bonds of death, delivering us from the debt of sin, and giving us Jubilee hope but during the Easter season?
And while the book is intended to accompany you on an “armchair pilgrimage” to Rome, so that even if you can’t get to Rome this Jubilee you can still use the Holy Door and its message to grow in hope… one pilgrim recently took the book to Rome and actually stood at the Holy Door, reading it right there! She messaged me,
Thanks for your book! It was part of my pilgrimage! I stood near the door and read the passages, with the security glancing at me every so often. 🤣 It inspired me to visit all 4 doors - in one day!
I’ve been busy telling the world about the Jubilee, both with my own podcast for Verso Ministries, In Via, which just launched our Jubilee mini-season, and on lots of other people’s podcasts! Here’s just a sampling if you want to hear more:
Prayercast from Holy Cross Ministries
Lastly, my “Jubilee tour” is ramping up this spring, so if you’re in the following cities, come out and see me–I’d love to meet in person.
This Saturday, March 22
“Life is a Pilgrimage, Not a Highway” - 10 am
“Opening the Holy Door” 6:30pm
St. Cecilia Catholic Church
Houston, Texas
March 30-April 1
“Making a Vibrant Parish” - each night at 6pm
Parish Mission at St. John
Clinton, IL
Saturday, April 12
“How to Be A Jubilee People” - 9–11AM
Mother Teresa Catholic Church
Topeka, KS
May 1-5
Talks and Events in Nashville, TN
Stay tuned for more details!
Don’t forget to celebrate Saint Joseph today! Perhaps join Pope Francis and me in this prayer, which we each pray each day:
He writes in Patris Corde, “Every day, for over forty years, following Lauds I have recited a prayer to Saint Joseph taken from a nineteenth-century French prayer book of the Congregation of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary. It expresses devotion and trust, and even poses a certain challenge to Saint Joseph…”
Glorious Patriarch Saint Joseph, whose power makes the impossible possible, come to my aid in these times of anguish and difficulty. Take under your protection the serious and troubling situations that I commend to you, that they may have a happy outcome. My beloved father, all my trust is in you. Let it not be said that I invoked you in vain, and since you can do everything with Jesus and Mary, show me that your goodness is as great as your power. Amen.
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