Saint Joseph Patron of Life
ST. JOSEPH: PATRON OF LIFE
by Fr. Jim Whalen
St. Joseph, Foster Father of Jesus, is given the pro-life mission to be ‘Saviour to the Saviour’. Catholics recognize St. Joseph as patron saint of children in the womb for he was told to take Mary as his wife when she was pregnant with Jesus (Mt 1: 18-25). He was protector of Jesus before He was born. He is a model for fathers of unborn children and for the entire world as someone who accepted the responsibility and commission for the unborn lives of human children. Since God the Father entrusted His only begotten Son, Jesus, to St. Joseph, we cannot find a more powerful advocate to intercede for all children entrusted to his care.
Joseph was obedient, with great confidence and trust, that God would provide for the Holy Family. In these times of spiritual warfare, with the family under attack, we would be wise to follow the example of our heavenly Father and consecrate our children’s lives, their temporal and eternal welfare, to the Guardian of the Redeemer. St. Joseph’s respect for human life from conception, when Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb, to natural death, as witnessed by his own death, his eternal birthday, in the arms of Jesus and Mary, sets a high standard for our own lives. We can be certain that if we call on the intercession of St. Joseph that he will do all that he can, and all that is necessary, in helping to ensure that all unborn children will continue to grow until birth. St. Teresa of Avila was very clear in stating that St. Joseph never ever refused her any requests for aid.
There are in particular three main motives to appeal to St. Joseph as patron of the living and dying. “Firstly, St. Joseph is the adoptive father of our Judge, whereas other saints are only his friends. Secondly, his power is more formidable to the devils. Thirdly, his death was the most singularly privileged, and the happiest ever recorded in the annals of mankind” (A manual of Practical Devotion to St. Joseph, Fr. Patrignani, S.J., 1982, p. 96).
Scriptures tell us that an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Arise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child to destroy him” (Mt 2:13). Joseph preserved Jesus from the fury of Herod. Joseph had been told to name his foster child, Jesus, for he will be a Saviour: “She shall bring forth a Son and you shall call His name Jesus for He will save His people from their sins” (Mt 1:21). Our Lord is called Saviour of man for he preserved man from eternal death (Divine Favors Granted to St. Joseph, Pere Binet, 1983, p. 19). The angel messenger did not accompany them in their flight, as Joseph was to take the place of the Guardian Angel.
Pope John Paul II reminds us of Simeon’s prophecy to Mary and Joseph, that Jesus, even as a child is, “a sign of contradiction” who faced threats and dangers right from his birth. Life is proclaimed, threatened, and snuffed out. The Holy Innocents slaughtered at Herod’s command shared in the birth and saving passion of Christ. Through their own ‘passion’ they completed what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the Church (Col 1:24). “Was it not a prophetic event that the birth of Christ was accompanied by danger to His life? Yes, even the life of the One who is at the same time Son of Man and Son of God, was threatened. It was endangered from the very beginning, and only by a miracle did He escape death” (Letter to Families, 1994, No. 21, p. 93).
We need St. Joseph, as Patron of Life, in our world today to protect the unborn children not only from cruel tyrants or compromising leadership, but at times from their own parents, as well as counsellors, doctors and other health care professionals. The statistics are staggering:
over 55 million killed every year in the world by surgical abortions;
over 250 million killed throughout the world annually through chemical abortifacients;
between 100,000 and 110,000 abortions yearly in Canada;
more than 1 million abortions annually in the United States.
Some were victims of convenience and technology. Others are victims of social pressures or selfishness. Countless children are victims of genetic engineering, cloning and embryo research.
St. Joseph, by his example of fatherly protection, reminds mothers and fathers that they betray life when they abandon their role as protectors. All of society is infected, loosing its sense of solidarity with other humans, resulting in indifference to suffering, injustice and the dignity of the person. St. Joseph, as the man of the hour, the father of the hour, and as saint of the hour, teaches us: “to cherish life and resist compromises with our death-dealing culture. He is one who can protect our children, and us, from societal influences that lead to spiritual death. His special intercession can make a vital difference: for the convergence of society; for help to see and change whatever in us opposes life; for today’s “holy innocents” - young and old; and for help to build a culture of life” (St. Joseph, His Life and Role in the Church Today, Louise Bourse Perota, p. 175.
St. Joseph as Guardian of the Redeemer did what was natural to all fathers. He put his life on the line for his Son; he made the necessary sacrifices to protect his Child. In this case it meant difficult travel, fear of the unknown and pursuit, as well as accepting the challenge of being refugees in a strange foreign country (Egypt).
Pope John Paul II has been very direct in warning us that new forms of attack on the dignity of human beings will take place. “A new cultural climate is developing and taking hold, which gives crimes against life a new and - if possible - even more sinister character” (Evangelium Vitae, No. 4).
The message of Fatima that God, our Father, comes first, was certainly exemplified by Mary and Joseph. Rejection of the Fatherhood of God by the vast majority of mankind has set in motion a chain reaction of consequences affecting fatherhood. “The notion of fatherhood in many families, for example, has been reduced to a biological fact. The role of the father as head of the family, protector and provider, is not in style” (St. Joseph, Fatima and Fatherhood, Msgr. Joseph Cirrincione, 1989, p.40). The rejection of fatherhood has led to the collapse of a pillar of the family and the disintegration of family life. In the final apparition of October 13, 1917, St. Joseph is present, holding the Child Jesus in his arms, blessing the world, standing to the left of the sun, with Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, standing to the right of the sun, which has not left its place. This is God’s assurance that though many men may reject Him, God will never reject man. St. Joseph is present at this special time foreshadowing the consequences of the world if mankind rejects the true Fatherhood of God and the traditional strong role of the father of the family. St. Joseph was present to remind us that as head of the Holy Family, he was the father of the family, representing God the Father. Joseph was the representative of divine authority, which was exercised with love, as demonstrated in His love of the Father and the love of his wife and Son.
Today, the spirit of anti-life, anti-family and anti-fatherhood is evident in all walks of life. There is rejection not only of natural fatherhood in families and the Fatherhood of God, but also of the fatherhood of Pope John Paul II, Vicar of Christ, in many instances, rejecting his doctrinal teaching, with over 80% of Catholics practicing contraception. There is lip service and outward respect, but his authority in matters of faith and morals is openly rejected by many. This problem has even crept into the Church, evident in some of our parishes: “Many have exchanged the role of shepherds of their flock to Board chairmen, with fixed terms” (St. Joseph, Fatima and Fatherhood, p. 41). By St. Joseph’s presence, as foster father at the Fatima vision, we are reminded that the road by which the prodigal world will someday return to God the Father is called the Way of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Mary, the Mother of God, always directs us to her Son; Joseph, Foster Father, Guardian of the Redeemer, always protects his Son. “From the beginning, Joseph accepted with the ‘obedience of faith’, his human fatherhood over Jesus” (St. Joseph in the Life of Christ and of the Church, Pope John Paul II, 1989, No. 21, p. 33).
St. Joseph, saviour of the Saviour, we choose you as Patron Saint of Priests for Life Canada. +