March 19, 2022
The Glory of Saint Joseph
The one who glorified the apostles by the honor of preaching also glirified Saint Joseph by the humility of silence, and from his face we should learn that the glory of the Christians lies not in brilliant achievements, but in doing what God wants to them. If we may not all have the honor of preaching Jesus Christ, we may all have the honor of obeying him. That is the glory of Saint Joseph, and it is the solid honor of Christianity. Ordinarily the life of sinners attacts more attention than that of the just, because the passions and the intenests are what move the world. The sinners, says David, have bent their bows; they have loosed them against the just; they have destroyed; they have conquered. But the just, he adds, what has he done? What can the just one do? (Ps 11:3). He means that the just has done nothing. Indeed, he has done nothing in the eyes of men because he has done everything in the eyes of God. It was in this way that Joseph the just man lived. He saw Jesus Christ and was silent. He heard him and did not speak. He contented himself with God alone, without sharing his glory with men. He accomplished his vocation, for just as the apostles were the ministers of Jesus Christ revealed, so Joseph was the minister and the companion of his hidden life.
All greatness consists in con forming ourselves to God’s orders, however it may please him to dispose of us; and, finally, that this obscurity that we so fear, but that is so illustrious and so glorious, may be chosen even by God. This is what Jesus Christ teaches us, hidden with his humble family, with Mary and Joseph, whom he joins to the obscurity of his life because they are very dear to him. Let us then take our part with them and hide ourselves with Christ.
He is still hidden. He suffers every day because his name is blasphemed and his Gospel mocked, because the hour of his greatest glory has not yet come. He is hidden with His Father, and, as the holy Apostle says, we are hidden in God with him. As we are hidden with him, it is not in this place of exile that we should seek his glory. But when Jesus shows himself in his majesty, it will then be the time to appear: When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory. O God! How sweet it will be to stand forth on that day when Jesus will praise us before his heavenly Father. Let men be eternally silent about us so that Jesus Christ may speak of us on that day.
BISHOP JACQUES-BESNIGNE BOSSUET
Jacques-Besnigne Bossuet (+1704), known as the “Eagle of Meaux,” was a French bishop, theologian, and renowned orator.
