The first word is dream. Saint Joseph has much to tell us in this regard because, through the dreams that God inspired in him, he made his life a gift. The Gospels tell us four dreams (cf. Matthew 1:20; 2:13.19.22). They were calls from God, but they were not easy to accept. After each dream, Joseph had to change his plans and take a risk, sacrificing his plans to follow the mysterious designs of God, whom he trusted completely. We may ask ourselves, “Why put so much trust in a dream in the night?”
Saint Joseph let himself be guided by his dreams without hesitation. Indeed, Joseph’s dreams led him into experiences he would never have imagined. The first of these upended his betrothal but made him the father of the Messiah; the second caused him to flee to Egypt but saved the life of his family. After the third, which foretold his return to his native land, a fourth dream made him change plans again, bringing him to Nazareth, where Jesus would begin preaching the Kingdom of God. Amid all these upheavals, he found the courage to follow God’s will.
So, too, in a vocation: God’s call always urges us to take a first step, to give ourselves, and press forward. There can be no faith without risk. We can only truly say “yes” to God by abandoning ourselves confidently to grace and setting aside our programs and comforts.
SERVICE
A second word marks the journey of Saint Joseph and that of vocation: service. The Gospels show how Joseph lived entirely for others and never for himself. God’s holy people invoke him as the most chaste spouse based on his ability to love unreservedly. He became open to an even more fruitful service by freeing love from all possessiveness. His loving care has spanned generations; his attentive guardianship has made him patron of the Church.
For Saint Joseph, service did not remain simply a high ideal; it became a rule for daily life. He strove to find and prepare a place where Jesus could be born; he did his utmost to protect him from Herod’s wrath by arranging a hasty journey into Egypt; he immediately returned to Jerusalem when Jesus was lost; he supported his family with his work, even in a foreign land.
In short, he adapted to different circumstances with the attitude of those who do not grow discouraged when life does not turn out as they wished; he showed the willingness typical of those who live to serve.
In this way, Joseph welcomed life’s frequent and often unexpected journeys: from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census, then to Egypt and again to Nazareth, and every year to Jerusalem. Each time, he was willing to face new circumstances without complaining, ever ready to give a hand to help resolve situations.
I like to think of Saint Joseph, the protector of Jesus and the Church, as the protector of vocations. In fact, from his willingness to serve comes his concern to protect. The Gospel tells us that “Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night” (Matthew 2:14), thus revealing his prompt concern for the good of his family. He wasted no time fretting over things he could not control, to give full attention to those entrusted to his care.
FIDELITY
Together with God’s call, which makes our greatest dreams come true, and our response, which is made up of generous service and attentive care, there is a third characteristic of Saint Joseph’s daily life and our Christian vocation, namely fidelity.
Joseph is the “righteous man” (Matthew 1:19) who daily perseveres in quietly serving God and his plans. At a particularly difficult moment in his life, he thoughtfully considered what to do. He did not let himself be hastily pressured. He did not yield to the temptation to act rashly, simply following his instincts or living for the moment. Instead, he pondered things patiently. He knew that success in life is built on constant fidelity to important decisions. This was reflected in his perseverance in plying the trade of a humble carpenter, a quiet perseverance that made no news in his own time, yet has inspired the daily lives of countless fathers, laborers and Christians ever since. For a vocation matures only through daily fidelity.
Fidelity is the secret of joy. A hymn in the liturgy speaks of the “transparent joy” present in the home of Nazareth. How good it would be if the same atmosphere, simple and radiant, sober and hopeful, were to pervade our seminaries, religious houses and presbyteries! Fidelity is a powerful testimony in an age of ephemeral choices and emotions that bring no lasting joy. May Saint Joseph, protector of vocations, accompany us with his fatherly heart!
