Apprentice of St. Joseph

What do the Holy Scriptures say about St. Joseph, the earthly father of Christ? Very little. We know that he was a descendant of David, that his ancestral line was from the town of Bethlehem, and that he was "a righteous man" (Matthew 1:19). We know that he was betrothed to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Church Tradition tells us that he remained celibate even in his married life out of respect for the virginal dignity of Our Lady. Popular humor tells us that, living with the Son of God and the Immaculate Conception, anything that went wrong at home must have been his fault. Regardless, he was clearly a devoted husband and father, caring more about his wife's dignity and vocation and his adopted Son's life than about his own reputation.

As a new father with a pregnant wife, I hope that I will be able to learn much from St. Joseph and follow in his footsteps. Let's see, what are the prerequisites to imitate St. Joseph? Poor? Check; I'm a youth minister in Louisiana. Bearded? Check; I keep it trimmed relatively short so I don't scratch my wife's face when I kiss her. Responsible? Check; I always leave the seat down.

Okay, so maybe I have the superficial likenesses down, but that's obviously not what truly matters. St. Joseph had poverty, chastity, and obedience. Evangelical virtue...gotta get me some of that! Well, I've got poverty, but he was detached from worldly goods, and I've to ask myself: am I? I've got chastity...I try by best to respect women and especially my wife when it comes to sexuality, but I suppose I could always grow more. As for obedience, well, I try to do what I think God wants me to do, but I don't always have the kind of faith I need to follow Him unreservedly with the "obedience of faith" (Romans 1:5). So maybe I could improve in a couple of those areas.

As my married and family life grows, so will my responsibility to lead. St. Joseph provided for the Holy Family, protected for the Holy Family, led the prayer of the Holy Family, taught the Holy Family. I have these duties as well. May my family come to resemble the Holy Family. My job is to help make that happen.

God has already given me that opportunity. Protecting my wife and child from ill health is just one form of my job; I've had to rush my wife to the hospital three times in the last two weeks because she has hyperemesis gravarum, a rare, extreme form of morning sickness. Stinks, huh? And even though it makes me cranky sometimes to be making so many sacrifices (my crankiness made my poor wife, Jennie, cry last night), they are sacrifices well worth making, and I hope that God will continue to ask them of me, because this is my apprenticeship with St. Joseph.

As I continue along this apprenticeship, I will let you in on the events that shape my world. I will show you the tools and tricks of the trade St. Joseph shares with me. I'll also post tidbits (some short, some long) on our Catholic faith.

O glorious St. Joseph, Son of David,
to whom God entrusted the care
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
and His Son, Jesus Christ,
obtain for me the grace
to be a husband and father
after God's own heart,
in imitation of your most holy example,
for the greater glory of the Heavenly Father. Amen.

His Servant and Yours,

Micah Murphy
Apprentice of St. Joseph