Today I have the window shield in my truck replaced. When scheduling to have this done and the young lady at the glass shop noted that they had today available, I replied “Oh good the 19th is the feast day of St. Joseph.” She shook her head and said “Well, I didn’t know that.” I told her “Don’t worry not too many people do.”
I came upon this reflection of St. Joseph by Madeleva Williams, CSJ.
Reflections on St. Joseph
Not much is known of Joseph.
He was husband, father, provider….everyday.
He had dreams.
They weren’t always clear and easy,
But they were his.
Eventually they changed his mind and heart.
He lived out his dreams.
He was a just man,
Someone you can count on.
Displaced, a common worker,
No name but carpenter, this Joseph.
Yet one wonders how each person,
Each place was neighbor to him:
For the child he called SON
Treated none as stranger.
Perhaps the mark of greatness is not
The accomplishing of great moments,
Great movements, great works.
Perhaps the mark of greatness
Is facing life as it comes,
Being content with the daily,
What we call ordinary.
Joseph was that kind of man,
A man with a common touch, a saint.
Quiet, living on the verge of mystery,
He was left with dreams
And the work of his hands
My daughter Reagan included this Jimi quote on her FB site yesterday so it’s kind of timely that I pass it along today.
And lest you think I’ve gone completely soft and religious on you, here’s Jimi’s take on someone named Joe who killed his old lady for messing around with another man. (If you think about it, that’s really kind of how Mary got pregnant right? It is a good thing then that our unsung St. Joseph was a little more understanding than Jimi’s guy.) Purple Haze follows that tune @ 3:36 mark. Now we are talking some extraordinary stuff.