Mud Pies and Dust Smoothies

Naturally, when I was growing up, a favorite activity was making those wonderful mud pies and slinging them at others. While some see this as child's play, it's actually an imitation of the Divine. Take for example that God made Adam out of mud (depending on the translation: dirt, dust, etc.) (Genesis 2:7). 

Yet there is another very significant passage from the Mosaic Law that deals with dust (Numbers 5:11-31), and I believe that it is very closely linked to Joe. Basically, I'm talking about the ritual that was for women who were suspected by their husbands of being unfaithful without actually finding them in the act of adultery:

1. The husband first brings his wife to the priest with a offering of barley meal (aka the important ingredient of Scotch Whiskey).
2. The priest leads the woman to "stand before the Lord".
3. The priest uncovers the woman's head and gives her the barley meal to hold.
4. The priest then takes holy water and adds "some dust from the floor of the tabernacle" to the holy water.
5. The priest makes a pronouncement to the woman saying if she is faithful, nothing will bad will happen, but if she was unfaithful to her husband, then some serious consequences will come about.
6. The priest writes the pronouncement down on paper and washes it in the holy dust water.
7. The priest and the woman switch objects (water and barley), and the priest burns some of the barley on the altar.
8. Finally, the woman drinks the "water of bitterness", and God does his work of vindicating or condemning the woman.

So, how does this apply to Joe? 

Well, its a pretty safe assumption that Mary was not caught in the act of adultery because, well, she never committed it (of course, we know that, but Joe didn't). So, before Joe could accuse her as being an adulteress, he and Mary had to go through with this ritual since they were Law-abiding Jews. So, when nothing bad happened to Mary, Joe was left questioning. He knew it was not his child, and he believed that it was not another via the ritual. So, how was it possible for her to be with child? 

It seems to me that Joe assumed that God was mysteriously involved but had absolutely no idea how. And if he could not explain it to himself, how could he explain it to others? Hence, he did not want "to expose her to shame, [and] decided to divorce her quietly" (Matthew 1:19). And it wasn't until the Angel filled him in on the current events of Mary's life in a dream, that he found out about the true nature of his wife's baby.

Just a couple more observations:

• Incidentally, one of several interpretations of the meaning of the name of Mary is "bitter sea." How appropriate for the one that the bitter water left unharmed! 
• The woman's head was uncovered in the ritual. In Hebrew culture, veiling was used to cover the sacred. So, in unveiling Mary and through the ritual, the priest uncovers to Joseph the most Sacred of All - God Himself!
• Do you remember that scene from Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ when the Jewish leaders bring Mary Magdalene to Jesus, and Jesus epically writes in the sand (John 8:2-11)? Of course, there have been many speculations on what he wrote (and it is all speculation!), but I would like to offer just one more: Jesus was reminding the Jewish leaders of their duty to put Magdalene to the bitter water test (who incidentally also bears the name Mary!).
• Finally, the significance of the barley... 
• The quantity is the same as the manna that Aaron the priest placed in the ark of the covenant, and Mary is the new ark of the covenant! (Exodus 16:16,32-36) 
• Barley loaves were miraculously multiplied by Christ in the feeding of the multitude (John 6:5-15)
• Both the manna and the barley loaves are prefigurements of Christ the "bread of life" (John 6:31-35)

Joe, the Silent Saint

Although I'm writing this post before I go on retreat, by the grace of God and the goodness of His gift of technology, it is able to be automatically posted on Wednesday (I hope). Leave it to God to work outside of time! The retreat I am on is a silent retreat, so how appropriate it is to write a little about Joe as the silent saint.

In one of earlier posts, I made the point that although there are no directly attributed words of Joe in the Scriptures, we can infer that he did indeed speak one word: the Word => "Jesus." Those who know me well, know that I can talk a lot, and in this way, Joe has been a major challenge to me. How can I model the man who says little but speaks volumes?

The answer is quite simple: the name of Jesus. How little do we just say His Name? If you're like me, we usually say It in the context of larger prayers. Yet, His Name is a prayer in Itself. To say the Name is to pray, "Lord, save us from our sins!" (Matthew 1:21) Perhaps, the next time we're having a rough day and we just want to complain to God in prayer, let us imitate Joe who never ceased praying the most simple of all prayers: "Jesus!"

Finally, pray for me as I continue on retreat. Jesus!

First Rule of Engineering: Make Good Assumptions

Today, we celebrate the Assumption of Mary completely, body and soul, into heaven, but did you know that there has been a subtle tradition within the Church that Joe was assumed body and soul into heaven too? And these are no insignificant people, perhaps the most notable modern day attribution is St. John XXIII who in his homily for the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord said that "we can piously believe" that Joe was assumed into heaven (unfortunately, there is no official English translation, but if you speak either Italian or Spanish, here is a link to the homily).

But what are the basis of this belief? Most begin with the assumption (pun very much intended) that the Old Testament Joseph prefigures Joe. If we accept this, then we can look to the what happens to the Old Testament Joseph, and begin inferring.

1. Genesis 50:24-26
• Joseph died, but before he did he made his family promise to bury him in the Promised Land, when they would eventually leave Egypt. 
• and after he died, "He was embalmed and laid to rest in a coffin in Egypt."
• that is to say that his body was preserved from extreme corruption.
2. Exodus 13:19
• Moses brought the bones (or whole body if he was mummified) of Joseph out of Egypt into the desert.
3. Joshua 24:29-33
• Joshua died and was laid to rest in the Promised Land.
• Then Joseph's bones/mummy were laid to rest in the Promised Land.
• Finally, Eleazar died and was laid to rest in the Promised Land.

So how does this infer Joe's Assumption?

1. Egypt and the Promised Land have been repeatedly seen to signify Earth and Heaven. 
• So like Joseph, Joe died in the not-so-promised land, but his body was preserved from corruption.
2. Christ has been seen by many to have been prefigured by Moses, who does not die in the Promised Land but right outside it and is mysteriously buried (Deut. 24:5-6, Jude 1:9)
• He carries Joe's bones outside of Earth into the Limbo of the Just.
3. Just as Christ is prefigured by Moses, so He is also prefigured by Joshua, particularly after His Resurrection.
• After Joshua is laid to rest in the Promised Land (aka Jesus enters heaven), 
• Joseph is laid to rest (aka Joe enters heaven), 
• and finally Eleazar is laid to rest (aka Mary enters heaven) ***More on this point later!!!

This only scratches the surface of the believe that Joe is assumed body and soul in heaven, but I'm sure we will return sometime later!

Day 9 of Novena

Day 9 of Novena to St. Joseph for the Chapel of Loretto:

O Holy St. Joseph listen to our cry and present them for us to our Heavenly Father. You built a staircase to a choir loft so that human choirs might imitate angelic choirs. We beg you now, inspired carpenter, to build a staircase to heaven for us and for all who do not know the way to paradise.
     We are all sinners and are lost on our journey; so, do not allow us to sit in judgment of those who seek intimate love with those of the same sex. Rather, may we look upon them with eyes filled with sorrow and compassion, and may they look upon us in our sinfulness with the same eyes.
     You did not build the staircase for the honor and glory of your name. So, teach us now to build for each other staircases to heaven for the honor and glory of the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Grandpa Joe and Day 8 of Novena

Last Wednesday, I shared a part of a homily given by St. Alphonsus Liguori on St. Joseph where he argues that Joe was the true earthly father of Jesus by the grace of God the Father. I would now like to propose to you that a great way of seeing Joe is as a grandpa.

Think about it like this... 

• We often say that the Church is our Mother or "Holy Mother Church," which is in no way accidental. For it is the community of believers who gives birth to more believers by witnessing to the power of the Resurrection in their own lives. 
• Jesus is the bridegroom of the Church according to St. Paul (Eph. 5:23)
• So Jesus is our virginal Father through the Church
• Joe is the virginal father of Jesus through Mary
• So, Joe and Mary are our ecclesiastical grandparents!

I don't know about you but I had some pretty awesome grandpa's, and one thing was true about both of them: they liked to teach me things, and both liked to provide for me (especially food!). I had the undeserved privilege of working with both growing up. Each had his own business, so when I would go to work with either of them, lunch soon became the most important meal of the day.

I can't help but to think that the same is true with Grandpa Joe. I'm sure he loves to teach us how to work for the Lord, and he loves to feed us! All we need to do is to go to work with him. As pharaoh once told the Israelites, so now I tell you, “Go to Grandpa Joe and do whatever he tells you.” (Genesis 41:55)

Incidentally, if Joe is our grandpa, that means Mary is our grandma, and what grandma does not throughly enjoy spoiling her grandchildren?

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Day 8 of Novena to St. Joseph for the Chapel of Loretto:

O Holy St. Joseph listen to our cry and present them for us to our Heavenly Father. You built a staircase to a choir loft so that human choirs might imitate angelic choirs. We beg you now, inspired carpenter, to build a staircase to heaven for us and for all who do not know the way to paradise.
     We are all sinners and are lost on our journey; so, do not allow us to sit in judgment of those who seek intimate love with those of the same sex. Rather, may we look upon them with eyes filled with sorrow and compassion, and may they look upon us in our sinfulness with the same eyes.
     You did not build the staircase for the honor and glory of your name. So, teach us now to build for each other staircases to heaven for the honor and glory of the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Day 7 of Novena

Day 7 of Novena to St. Joseph for the Chapel of Loretto:

O Holy St. Joseph listen to our cry and present them for us to our Heavenly Father. You built a staircase to a choir loft so that human choirs might imitate angelic choirs. We beg you now, inspired carpenter, to build a staircase to heaven for us and for all who do not know the way to paradise.
     We are all sinners and are lost on our journey; so, do not allow us to sit in judgment of those who seek intimate love with those of the same sex. Rather, may we look upon them with eyes filled with sorrow and compassion, and may they look upon us in our sinfulness with the same eyes.
     You did not build the staircase for the honor and glory of your name. So, teach us now to build for each other staircases to heaven for the honor and glory of the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Day 6 of Novena

Day 6 of Novena to St. Joseph for the Chapel of Loretto:

O Holy St. Joseph listen to our cry and present them for us to our Heavenly Father. You built a staircase to a choir loft so that human choirs might imitate angelic choirs. We beg you now, inspired carpenter, to build a staircase to heaven for us and for all who do not know the way to paradise.
     We are all sinners and are lost on our journey; so, do not allow us to sit in judgment of those who seek intimate love with those of the same sex. Rather, may we look upon them with eyes filled with sorrow and compassion, and may they look upon us in our sinfulness with the same eyes.
     You did not build the staircase for the honor and glory of your name. So, teach us now to build for each other staircases to heaven for the honor and glory of the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Day 5 of Novena

Day 5 of Novena to St. Joseph for the Chapel of Loretto:

O Holy St. Joseph listen to our cry and present them for us to our Heavenly Father. You built a staircase to a choir loft so that human choirs might imitate angelic choirs. We beg you now, inspired carpenter, to build a staircase to heaven for us and for all who do not know the way to paradise.
     We are all sinners and are lost on our journey; so, do not allow us to sit in judgment of those who seek intimate love with those of the same sex. Rather, may we look upon them with eyes filled with sorrow and compassion, and may they look upon us in our sinfulness with the same eyes.
     You did not build the staircase for the honor and glory of your name. So, teach us now to build for each other staircases to heaven for the honor and glory of the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Day 4 of Novena

Day 4 of Novena to St. Joseph for the Chapel of Loretto:

O Holy St. Joseph listen to our cry and present them for us to our Heavenly Father. You built a staircase to a choir loft so that human choirs might imitate angelic choirs. We beg you now, inspired carpenter, to build a staircase to heaven for us and for all who do not know the way to paradise.
     We are all sinners and are lost on our journey; so, do not allow us to sit in judgment of those who seek intimate love with those of the same sex. Rather, may we look upon them with eyes filled with sorrow and compassion, and may they look upon us in our sinfulness with the same eyes.
     You did not build the staircase for the honor and glory of your name. So, teach us now to build for each other staircases to heaven for the honor and glory of the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Day 3 of Novena

Day 3 of Novena to St. Joseph for the Chapel of Loretto:

O Holy St. Joseph listen to our cry and present them for us to our Heavenly Father. You built a staircase to a choir loft so that human choirs might imitate angelic choirs. We beg you now, inspired carpenter, to build a staircase to heaven for us and for all who do not know the way to paradise.
     We are all sinners and are lost on our journey; so, do not allow us to sit in judgment of those who seek intimate love with those of the same sex. Rather, may we look upon them with eyes filled with sorrow and compassion, and may they look upon us in our sinfulness with the same eyes.
     You did not build the staircase for the honor and glory of your name. So, teach us now to build for each other staircases to heaven for the honor and glory of the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Day 2 of Novena

Day 2 of Novena to St. Joseph for the Chapel of Loretto:

O Holy St. Joseph listen to our cry and present them for us to our Heavenly Father. You built a staircase to a choir loft so that human choirs might imitate angelic choirs. We beg you now, inspired carpenter, to build a staircase to heaven for us and for all who do not know the way to paradise.
     We are all sinners and are lost on our journey; so, do not allow us to sit in judgment of those who seek intimate love with those of the same sex. Rather, may we look upon them with eyes filled with sorrow and compassion, and may they look upon us in our sinfulness with the same eyes.
     You did not build the staircase for the honor and glory of your name. So, teach us now to build for each other staircases to heaven for the honor and glory of the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Novena Day 1

Day 1 of Novena to St. Joseph for the Chapel of Loretto:

O Holy St. Joseph listen to our cry and present them for us to our Heavenly Father. You built a staircase to a choir loft so that human choirs might imitate angelic choirs. We beg you now, inspired carpenter, to build a staircase to heaven for us and for all who do not know the way to paradise.
     We are all sinners and are lost on our journey; so, do not allow us to sit in judgment of those who seek intimate love with those of the same sex. Rather, may we look upon them with eyes filled with sorrow and compassion, and may they look upon us in our sinfulness with the same eyes.
     You did not build the staircase for the honor and glory of your name. So, teach us now to build for each other staircases to heaven for the honor and glory of the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Alphonsus Liguori and Joseph

Today is the Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, who had a great devotion to Joe. I find it very appropriate to share a part of a homily he gave on the Feast of St. Joseph to continue the theme from last week of St. Joseph's fatherhood. You can read the whole homily here (pg. 599-610).

We should indeed honor Saint Joseph, since the Son of God was graciously pleased to honor him, by calling him His Father. "Christ", says Origen, "gave to Joseph the honor due to a parent". He is also thus spoken of in the gospel, "And His father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning Him" - Luke 2:33. The Divine Mother also spoke of him under this name, "Behold Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing" - Luke 2:48. Since, then, the King-of-kings was pleased to raise Joseph to so high a dignity, it is a right, and a duty on our part, to endeavor to honor him as much as we can. "He indeed should be greatly honored by men, whom the King-of-kings has been pleased thus to exalt". "What Angel or Saint", says Saint Basil, "ever merited to be called the father of the Son of God? Joseph alone was thus called". Hence we can well apply to Saint Joseph the words of Saint Paul, "Being made so much better than the Angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they" - Hebrews 1:4. Saint Joseph was more honored by God, in this name of father, than all the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and Pontiffs; for all these have name of servants, Joseph alone that of father.

Behold him, as father, made lord of that little family; little in point of numbers, but great on account of the two great personages who composed it, i.e. the Mother of God, and the only-begotten Son of God made man: "He made him master of His house" - Psalm 104:21. Joseph commanded in that house, and the Son of God obeyed, "And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them" - Luke 2:51. "This subjection", says Gerson, "whilst it shows the humility of Jesus Christ, also shows the greatness of the dignity of Saint Joseph". "And to what greater dignity, to what higher degree of exaltation", continues the same writer, "can a person be raised, than to that of commanding Him Who commands all kings?"
Joshua excited the admiration of the whole world when he commanded the sun to stop in its course, that he might have time to conquer his enemies; and it obeyed, "the Lord obeying the voice of a man" - Joshua 10:14. But what comparison can there be between Joshua, whom the sun, an inanimate creature, obeyed, and Joseph, who was obeyed by Jesus Christ, the Son of God? As long as Saint Joseph lived, Jesus Christ respected him as a father, and until his death, that is for thirty years, always obeyed him as such, "He was subject to them". So that during all those years the constant occupation of the Savior was to obey Saint Joseph. During the whole of that time it was Joseph's charge to command, as the head of the family; and the office of Jesus was, as a subject, to obey Saint Joseph, who had been given to Him by God in place of a father. Hence, on the one hand, Jesus performed no action, did not even take a step, tasted no food, took no repose, but by the orders of Saint Joseph; and on the other, was all attention in listening to and executing all that Saint Joseph imposed upon Him. Our Blessed Lady said to Saint Bridget, "My Son was so obedient, that when Joseph said 'Do this' or 'Do that', He immediately did it". Hence John Gerson writes, "He often prepared the food and drink, washed the vessels, brought water from the fountain, and swept the house". Saint Bernard, speaking of Saint Joseph, says, "He was a faithful and prudent servant, whom our Lord made the solace of His Mother, the nourisher of His humanity, and, in fine', the only most faithful cooperator in the great council on Earth". 

Therefore, Saint Joseph was not only destined as a relief to the Mother of God, who had so many tribulations on Earth; not only was he the supporter of Jesus Christ, but he was also destined to cooperate, in a way, in the redemption of the world, for this was the work of the great council of the Three Divine Persons. God having also given him to His Son in the place of a father, He at the same time charged him to feed and defend His Son from the snares of His enemies, "Take the Child"; as if He had addressed him in the words of the Psalmist, "To thee is the poor man left; thou wilt be a helper to the orphan" - Psalm 9:14. Joseph, I have sent My Son on Earth; and Ihave sent Him poor and humble, without the splendor of riches or apparent nobility; hence, in the world, He will be despised, and called the Son of a carpenter, "Is not this the carpenter's Son?" - Matthew 13:55, according to thy humble trade; for I have willed that thou shouldst be poor, because I have destined thee to hold the place of a father over My Son, Who is poor; for He is not come to reign in the world, but to suffer and die for the salvation of men. On Earth, then, thou wilt hold My place of father over Him, and be His guardian, "To thee is the poor man left; thou wilt be a helper to the orphan". I abandon Him into thy hands. He will be persecuted, and thou wilt have to share in His sufferings; guard Him with care, and be thou faithful to Me. "Therefore", says Saint John Damascen, "God gave Saint Joseph the love, the care, the authority of a father over Jesus; He gave him the affection of a father, that he might guard Him with great love; the solicitude of a father, that he might watch over Him with care; and the authority of a father, that he might feel sure that he would be obeyed in all that he arranged as to the Person of this Son".