The Josephs of Today: when God traces other paths than imagined.

Sr Oluwakemi Akinleye fsp – Vatican City.

St Joseph, descended from the royal house of David, was chosen to be the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was a very hardworking carpenter, a caring husband and father, and a man of great faith, courage, humility, simplicity and patience.

St Joseph was a man of prayer who submitted to the will of God with openness and trust, as seen in his response to the messages he received in his dreams from the Angel Gabriel concerning his wife and the child that she conceived of the Holy Spirit and their flight to safety in Egypt.

Men of Faith

In our world today, there are many men who go through life with much pain, disappointment, loneliness, a sense of confusion, humiliation and emptiness. This can happen due to unforeseen circumstances, like a broken relationship, the loss of a spouse, a child or dear one; loss of one’s job, housing or property. Yet, through their faith and deep relationship with God, they are able to overcome and move on with life.

We are all called to be evangelisers.

A father and widower

Joseph Joschima Nathaniel, popularly known as Joe, from Nigeria, stands out as one of such men. He is a father, widower and a role model.

Joe met his wife Tina and they were good friends. A year after they graduated from university, they got married and had a son. Joe was happy and grateful that he had found a good wife in Tina.

One Sunday morning, Tina felt quite unwell and asked Joe to take her to see a doctor. After several medical tests and examinations, it was discovered that she had cancer. This was an unwelcome news to both Tina and Joe who had now been married for six years. Within a few months her conditioned worsened. They spent much of their resources on her treatment and after two years of battling with cancer, she died. Joe wept uncontrollably! How was he going to move on in life without his wife? How was he to raise their four-year old son alone? God had brought him trials that he never dreamt of!

Thankfully, Joe was a man of faith. He took some time off from work to come to terms with the reality of his loss, that he was now a young widower and father. He cried and prayed a lot too. He never let a day pass by without spending time before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Occasionally, his relatives and friends came around to help him, and they encouraged him to remarry for the sake of his son. He loved Tina so much that he was not going to be in a hurry to forget her so soon. At the time of writing this story, Joe had not yet remarried. He is contented to raise his son as a single father and to do charitable works in the local parish community.

Jesus Mary and St Joseph, the Carpeter.

Learning from St Joseph

There are many men today who move on in life, not knowing how to face hard and trying situations on their own. St Joseph, whose solemnity we celebrate today, stands out as patron and friend of such men. One can learn from him the virtues of trust, humility and surrender. It is our responsibility as community and society to help such men by accompanying them with our prayers, counsel, friendship and support.