Modest Life

The Holy Scrip­tu­re remains almost com­ple­te­ly silent  about St Joseph. It was GOD’s will to keep the Holy Fa­mily hid­den from the world until JESUS Hims­elf lifted this veil. The peop­le had not deser­ved to have know­ledge about this secret, and the SON of GOD had to grow up under the cover of con­ce­alm­ent. Joseph had the gre­at elec­tion to be dai­ly with JESUS. Next to Mary, the Im­maculate Mother, Joseph had the grea­test share in grace.

Joseph lived a hid­den life. His vir­tuous merits, his good deeds in his fami­ly and towards so many poor peop­le re­mained hid­den. He tea­ches us that it is pos­si­ble to live hap­pi­ly without gre­at pomp, that real fame is pos­si­ble without fuss and showing off – sim­ply through the tes­timony of modes­ty, hones­ty, of ser­ving and silence. If we fol­low the examp­le of St Joseph, the world has litt­le in­fluence on us. We see and hear the hust­le and bust­le,  but it does not impress us. The glo­ry of this world does not last.

It is a gre­at help for us to con­tem­pla­te the great­ness and digni­ty of St Joseph in order to under­stand his hid­den  life, which he loved so much. Let us also admi­re the varie­ty of ways that Joseph went without ques­tio­ning why. He trus­ted and belie­ved. He knew the Scrip­tures and the sayings of so many pro­phe­ts. But it never occur­red to … more