By Martin Nchedo Umeatuegbu
Among the most famous titles of Joseph is that of him as the Head of the Holy Family. In the Litany of St Joseph, this title is placed after that of him as the “Watchful defender of Christ,” which was the previous consideration in the series, and comes immediately before his title as one who is “most just.” It is very striking to behold the beauty and holiness of this title, for if in God’s sight, Joseph is a _just_ man, and if God has willed him to watch over Christ, then it explains why the same God made Him the Head of the Holy Family where that same Christ is the child, in order to be better enabled to be watched over by Joseph. It is, then, appropriate that in order to understand how Joseph becomes the Head of the Holy Family, to first understand what it means for a family to be holy. Yet, this cannot also be understood if one does not first and foremost, understand the meaning of holiness.
[2] Holiness means being like God, and to be like God, one must first have the desire. For as I assert in my book, The Glories of St Alphonsus Liguori, if one wishes to be holy, then it implies that holiness does not belong to one. Thus, one derives it from One greater than him, for one is devoid of such. Given that man is not holy, it follows that he is made to be holy by God, not because the former merits it, but because the latter grants him such a grace, for while man is His creature, God is his Creator. Consequently, God makes man a participator in the Divine Holiness (see no 2). God who is Holiness Himself finds joy in seeing His creatures be like Him. He goes further to invite humans to be holy and perfect, and further gives reason for such invitation, namely, that it is because He Himself who is our God is holy (see Lev 19:1). Jesus, the revealer of the Eternal Father explains this further after giving us the eight beatitudes, which are practical vehicles to attain perfection like the Father (see Matt. 5:48). God has several ways of calling humans to a life of holiness, and institution of marriage is one of them, so that in the family, the union of its members will assist them all to be like God. Therefore, by calling people into family, God invites them to imitate Him, for the family is living likeness of Heaven where God dwells and reigns forever.
[3] It is upon the strength and basis of the above that a family is said to be holy. Therefore, to call Joseph’s family is because it inhabits God who is in the flesh; God becomes flesh and dwells in the Person of Jesus in the home of Joseph and Maria. The pericope of the Gospel of Matthew chapter 1 shows how Joseph becomes the Head of the Holy Family in the Angel’s pronouncements. The Angel, first, tells him not to be afraid to take Maria as his wife for the child of her pregnancy is of the Holy Spirit (see vs 20). Maria, prior to then, during the Angel’s visit to her, hears from him as well that the Holy Spirit will overshadow her and that she will bear a son (see Luke 1:35), as a response to her question on the possibility of this (see Luke 1:34). By this, Joseph becomes nominated as the husband and Maria as a wife. In the second place in the same pericope of Matthew’s Gospel, the Angel instructs Joseph to name that child in Maria’s womb, Jesus (see vs. 21). This indicates two things. The first shows God’s choice of His entry into time into an earthly family. Therefore, His presence in that family makes it holy and makes it forever a reference point for imitation of every other family. The second shows God’s choice of Joseph as the Head of that family, to give God name in the flesh – Jesus is a privilege to be experienced only once both in divine and human history. Joseph, therefore, enjoys this privilege of being in whose hands God is carried in the flesh, from whose lips the same God is named on earth, and in whose family which this God who saves dwells as Son so as to make Him (Joseph) Head.
[4] The Holy Family which shows us the trio of Jesus as example of holy child, of Maria an example of a holy wife and mother, equally shows us Joseph an example not only of a holy father, but also of a head of a family. This is because among other things, Joseph truly must have influenced Maria and Jesus by his virtuous life. Therefore, the famous acronym, “J.M.J” reflects this, standing for “Jesus, Maria and Joseph”.
[5] In this Holy Family where Joseph is the Head, God tells us that our every true family is also holy. This implies that and it is because God is an invisible member of every family, for it is His Love that calls, unites and sustains every family as He did in the Holy Family. It is therefore important for every family to bear in mind that God calls each and every member to be holy as seen in Jesus, Maria and Joseph. This is proven by the very truth that He made everyone in His own image. So, if every member of the family is made in God’s image, then, it is also true that in that same family, God has invited them to retain His presence, since it is He alone that is the Holy One.
[6] The Holy Family remained holy because there was no place for sin, and for this reason, Joseph’s marriage with Maria became faithful having been made fruitful by the birth of Jesus. In like manner, any family that pays less attention to God is not far from being torn apart by the whips of the Evil One through various sins such as infidelity on the part of the parents, and several atrocities on the side of the child(ren). Even if sins dare to divide any family, recourse to God dethrones it by experiencing God’s grace, for many families today are torn apart because God is absent in them. It makes so much meaning, then, for every family to cultivate the habit of daily prayer, for Jesus Himself who is a member of the Holy Family teaches that when two or three are gathered in His name, He Himself is there among them (see Matt 18:20). Truly, He fulfils this promise by His presence in every family that invites Him. Let us therefore go to Joseph to help renew the consciousness of holiness on our families by invoking him saying:
O St Joseph, Head of the Holy Family, and faithful spouse of Maria! Pray for us who have recourse to you!
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