Encountering the Heart of St. Joseph: An Obedient Father

In “Patris Corde” Pope Francis wrote that “St. Joseph was called by God to serve the person and mission of Jesus directly through the exercise of his fatherhood.” 

St. Joseph faithfully obeyed God with a mature obedience. He was a man of prayer, discernment, listening and communicating. If one does not have these characteristics, he or she could easily disobey angrily or obey blindly. 

St. Joseph was a righteous man. His heart and mind were always directed to love God, to know God and to serve God and to do lawful things.

He was willing to take Mary home to be his wife. He faithfully protected Mary and Jesus. St. Joseph was constantly in communion with God for the sake of Jesus and for our salvation. He obeyed God because he trusted God’s word was true and promising. 

St. Joseph can teach us to obey one another right in our own families. In “The Virtues of an Authentic Life,” Father Bernard Haring CSsR wrote, “The basic school of grown-up obedience is the family.” St. Joseph is a perfect model of obedience for parents today. He listened to God whole heartedly. And he took care of Mary and Jesus every day of his life. 

Like St. Joseph, we are invited to practice mature obedience every day. And we should start obeying God first from our listening hearts and good consciences. And then we should obey our family and loved ones. Finally, we obey our public authority with frankness and discernment.

Father Tat Hoang CSsR, Pastor, St. Gerard Majella Church, Baton Rouge