As protector of the Holy Family, St. Joseph is a sure guide on life’s journey.
The Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” has always been a favorite of mine because of the hope and anticipation it expresses so beautifully. But as Advent gives way to the joyful celebration of the Christmas season, we can once again exclaim, “He dwells among us” (cf. John 1:14). It is particularly during this season of gifts that I like to recall in a special way the figure of St. Joseph, who loved and protected God’s two most precious gifts to us: Jesus and Mary.
I have always had a special devotion to St. Joseph, and now as a bishop I find myself asking for his intercession and help more than ever. He took such loving care of Mary and Jesus, and he continues to watch over and protect the Church, Christ’s mystical body. I feel especially blessed to have been ordained and installed as bishop of this wonderful diocese on St. Joseph’s solemnity, which the Church celebrates each year on March 19. But do we not all have a share in being guardians of this mystery—in our diocese, our schools, our work, and especially our marriage and family?
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Answering God’s call is full of surprises and above all, blessings.
It was cold outside but warm inside. That might sound more like the beginning of a Christmas tale than a story of the beginning of one’s vocation. But either one is the story of the gift of God—of Christ Jesus—who defines every vocation. A gift can contain many surprises, and so can every vocation.
It was only 5 degrees outside the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis on Dec. 14, 1985, when I was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop John May. The cold weather was one of those odd details I still remember concerning the greatest day of my life—the day I said yes to God and fully embraced his calling for me in life. Despite the freezing cold, I couldn’t have felt warmer in my heart, knowing that with God’s grace I was answering a call that others had helped me hear and discern. Little did I know then, much less earlier in my life, where God would take me once I said yes.
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Advent reminds us that there is hope for overcoming addictions.
Advent is often a time when I, like many, am faced with situations where I must say no to the many foods and drinks that would be easy to enjoy beyond moderation. As a diabetic, I know how important it is to be able to discipline this desire because of the consequences it can have on my health. Having the freedom to say no to many things in life—things that can harm us when enjoyed beyond moderation—is important for healthy living. When we lose that ability, our physical, mental, and spiritual life suffers.
The former slave Frederick Douglass once remarked that he did not realize he was a slave until he discovered he could not do the things he wanted. This realization led him to seek his freedom and eventually to become one of the greatest leaders of the abolitionist movement to end slavery. I know many such people today who, like Frederick Douglas, were once enslaved but are now abolitionists fighting the forms of slavery known as addictions.
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The secular holiday’s proclamation speaks of Thanksgiving’s other meanings.
It is hard to believe that the Advent season is almost upon us, beginning only a few days after Thanksgiving this year. Most of us naturally associate Advent’s beginning with Thanksgiving, and the secular holiday does seem a fitting prelude to this holy season. In fact, I think this holiday, as it was originally proclaimed by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, serves as a wonderful reminder of the disposition that Advent calls us especially to embrace.
As much as I love history, I always read it with a healthy sense that it is someone else’s interpretation, which can be prejudiced with changing times and attitudes. This is evident when comparing Lincoln’s proclamation declaring Thanksgiving a national holiday with today’s secular interpretations of the day.
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November is a time to celebrate those who have gone before us.
So many people are hailed as heroes today that the meaning of the word has become diluted. Perhaps because of my love of baseball, I often hear the word associated with sports figures who make millions of dollars to catch or pitch a ball. Talent, though, does not necessarily make the hero.
But there are people who I think do deserve the title, people who have influenced the world in a special way with their gifts and talents. And then there are our personal heroes, people whose example and sacrifices inspire us to become more than we thought we could be. In November—a time when the Church celebrates those who have gone before us, marked with the sign of faith—there’s one such person I will especially recall.
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