Nestled within the Lenten season, oftentimes hidden if not forgotten, is March 19th, the Feast Day of Joseph of Nazareth, Chaste Spouse of the Virgin Mary, and Virginal Father of Jesus. On the other hand, moving about silently, if not secretly, is a specialty of Joseph that is quite appropriate to his role as Protector of the Holy Family and hence as Guardian of the Universal Church. He concealed Mary's virginity (Matthew 1:18-25) and also protected his Family from Herod and Archelaus (Matthew 11:25-27). On the other hand he, as the "filter" of harmful influences, knows who the real children of God are and, like God the Father, reveals his Son and Spouse to the childlike (Matthew 11:25-27) and those who seek them with a pure, humble heart: shepherds, Magi, and common folk like those the Holy Family lived among----even while in, or enroute to, Egypt (Matthew 5:3-10).

"Can anything good come from Nazareth?? Come and see" (John 1:46)
"You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also" (John 8:19). True, we do not know God the Father, the merciful Father, very well. Likewise, we have been slow to know Jesus' Virginal Father, the craftsman Joseph, the image of God the Father. How important was this for Jesus and hence us? The Master says, in John 5:19, that ".....a son cannot do anything on his own but only what he sees his father doing; for what he does, his son will do also." In order to be about our Heavenly Father's business, we must learn by watching, with a pure heart, and then by doing. From whom did Jesus receive inspiration for communicating his teachings in the form of parables and other stories?? It is interesting to note that one of the words for "craftsman," in Hebrew is the same word for 'wise man': hkm

Without Jesus the '"craftsman" (Proverbs 8:30), we can do nothing (John 15:5). Could it thus in turn be that without the intercession of Joseph the craftsman we can do nothing?

Going 'down' to Nazareth (Luke 2:51)
"Your father and I have been looking for you" (Luke 2:48). Mary said this to Jesus, the Head of the Mystical Body of Christ. Jesus, as that Head, was the first Member of that Body to 'go down' to Nazareth. Mary is likewise telling this to us, the other members of that Body. Only by going 'down' to Nazareth will we, like Jesus, 'increase in Wisdom and Stature' (Luke 2:52)

The name "Joseph," in Hebrew, means "may He (Yahweh) add," and "to increase and to cut off." Jesus says that He is the Vine, we are the branches, and His Heavenly Father is the Vinedresser (John 15:1-5). He also says that if we are to be fruitful we must die. (John 12:24). Joseph, as the Patron of a Holy Death, can help us not only to die physically in a state of holiness (ie, in Jesus and Mary's presence), but also to die to ourselves (ie, our sins), and thus grow spiritually and bear fruit. Joseph, as the "deputy vinedresser (Luke 12:42-44), can then do his work in pruning the Vine and in grafting the branches, onto their places on the Vine, that are most suitable for growth of the Vine.