St. Joseph and the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Often overlooked in the dynamic which exists between the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the vital role of St. Joseph, the father of the Holy family.  St. Joseph has a long history of helping Christians in a variety of ways, from selling homes to finding work.  Possibly, the most dramatic intervention of St. Joseph comes from France.

Most accounts summarize the miraculous intervention as follows;

It was a hot summer day in Cotignac (Provence, France) on June 7, 1660. A young Provençal shepherd, Gaspard Ricard, 22, was leading his flock to the eastern slope of Mount Bessillon. Around one in the afternoon, the heat was intense. Gaspard was so thirsty that he collapsed from weakness on the rocky ground. Suddenly a tall man stood beside him. He pointed to a rock, and said in the local patois: "Iéu siéu Joùsè; enlevo-lou e béuras." That is, "I am Joseph; remove it and you will drink." The boulder was heavy - later on 8 men couldn't move it - so how could Gaspard be strong enough? But the venerable old man simply repeated his advice. Gaspard obeyed, managed to move the rock, and uncovered a fresh spring of trickling water! He drank greedily to slake his thirst. When he got up, the apparition had disappeared. Without waiting, he went to the village to tell the story, and soon curious people came to the spot. Three hours after the event, in a place where no spring existed, a creek was already flowing.

The facts are duly attested by abundant sources, well preserved in the local archives. "That's it. Nothing more simple, nothing poorer than this apparition... like the Gospel", commented Bishop Gilles Barthe, former bishop of the diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, in his pastoral letter of February 14, 1971. "Water is a central sign in our faith, the sign of our regeneration and of the new life springing forth for us from the Passover of Christ. This apparition highlights the powerful role of intercession of St. Joseph. St. Joseph is united to the Virgin Mary in the eternal plan of divine providence, and God clearly wants Christians, especially families, to turn to him in prayer."

Andre Bassett (1895-1956), known for his great devotion to the patriarch of Nazareth, held the following: “If Jesus remains the sole sanctifier, the never failing source of all graces; if the Blessed Virgin, who came nearest to this supernatural source, being the Mediatrix of all grace, turns the course of that stream towards the earth, then St. Joseph as the protector of the Church, is the steward who distributes the divine favors to men.”

St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897), similarly had recourse to Joseph as the “dispenser of the treasures of {Christ’s} Sacred Heart.”  Like Mary, whose role as Spiritual Mother is brought to fruition in the mediation of all grace to her children, Joseph’s role as spiritual father is, likewise, carried out through the mediation or distribution of grace. And we must acknowledge that his mediation is, in a certain sense, universal—that is, his intercessory power extends, at least, over all necessities and persons: “But, the mediation of St. Joseph is something more than being more powerful than all the other saints except Our Lady. It is distinctly universal”.

John Paul II states in his Apostolic Exhortation Redemptoris Custos: “Tradition has consistently regarded Joseph as among the highest in virtue of all the saints. This has much to do with the reality of his constant association with, and solicitousness for, Jesus and Mary. Yet, we know very little about the life of this great protector of, and provider for, the Holy Family. Let us, then, explore the dynamic nature of St. Joseph’s sanctity, specifically as it pertains to his wholly unique relationship with the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary. The hearts of Joseph and Mary became one; through the marital union, they became as “two in one flesh.” Thus, Joseph was necessarily united to the Heart of Christ, since the Immaculate heart of Mary, and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, are inseparably united. we can understand Joseph’s sanctity as the fruit of his union with the two hearts, based on his espousal union with the heart of Mary. And we, too, can model our total consecration to Jesus through Mary on St. Joseph’s “spousal” union with Mary. We, like Joseph, are called to “espouse” the Immaculate Heart of Mary; to give Mary our hearts undividedly and take her heart as our own.  St. Joseph’s spousal union with Mary, then, epitomizes total consecration to her, and serves as the perfect model for our union with the two hearts”.

Also, John Paul II points out that Joseph’s example “transcends all individual states of life, and serves as a model for the entire Christian community, whatever the condition and duties of each of its members may be.” Chapter five of Lumen Gentium makes clear that all persons, without exception, are called to Christian perfection. Theologians expand on the Pope’s words and explain how this universal call to holiness requires the universal spirituality that the Holy Family, the terrestrial trinity, offers: “Today the laity stand with the clergy and religious in the shared responsibility of the Church for evangel­ization and sanctification of the entire world. This requires a universal spirituality to direct to that goal. Because this call to holiness is universal, the foundation of this spirituality must be universal: the universality of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.” Following St. Joseph’s example, may all believers achieve, in their own life, a deep harmony between prayer and work, between meditation on the word of God, and their daily occupations. May an intimate and vital relationship with Jesus, the Incarnate Word, and His Holy Mother, always be at the heart of everything.”

Overall, Catholics should not forget the vital role St. Joseph plays in our religious faith.  His feast days are  March 19—Joseph, the Husband of Mary. The second is May 1—Joseph, the Worker. St. Joseph, Pray for us!