Friday February 12 2021 Year of St. Joseph
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mt 22:36-40). I wonder what went through Jesus’ mind when he gave that response? Did it make him think of Joseph who, as his earthly father, taught him that and so much more?
I’ve been thinking about the father – son relationship between Joseph and Jesus. As Joseph was known to be Jesus’ father just as Mary is known to be his mother, there was obviously a known public connection and intimate family connection. No kidding. From both accounts of his birth Joseph and Mary have central place. Their “yes” to God’s incredible plan, begins, as it were, the salvific ball rolling in our human world. Joseph and Mary do not have passive roles in the life of Jesus. This Holy Babe comes to them in need of instruction. Who taught him? Of course, Mary and Joseph. But who taught this “God in a tiny growing body” how to pray? I would posit, because of Jewish worship and custom, most rested with Joseph, the righteous and just.
In the passage above, Jesus just connected the whole of the law and prophets together in the love of God and neighbor. I am sure Joseph schooled Jesus in this connection. I am also convinced that the bedrock of Jewish morning/evening prayer experience, the Shema Israel fell from the lips of Joseph to the ears of Jesus. Joseph must have taught this essential Jewish prayer to his divine little boy. “Jesus, this is our creed. This is who we are and in whom we believe. Speak these words. Memorize them. ‘HEAR O ISRAEL THE LORD IS GOD, THE LORD IS ONE.’” (DT 6:4) but it continues with, “therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength” (V.5). Answering the question in Matthew 22, Jesus must have smiled inside…a smile of thanksgiving for his first teach, Joseph.
What does this mean to you and me? Our faith is important. What we have we must give and share. Our faith, as a gift from God himself, returns to God himself though our giving it away. Yes, only Joseph and Mary had the particular privilege to give that gift to Jesus…but we are just like Joseph and Mary, in that, we can give and share that same gift with another. This we must do.
St. Joseph. Pray for us.