By Jennifer Sokol

I never felt drawn to God the Father, because I had such a wonderful father of my own. Dad was tall and handsome, a masterful musician and a loving husband and father.

Like every father, he had many trials, but he clung to his Catholic faith and maintained a positive outlook. He accepted his imperfections with humor, and often sighed as he prayed, “God, give me patience.”

Since his death two years ago, the experience of his loss has heightened my appreciation for the gift of a good father, and inspired me to look to St. Joseph in a new way. As the foster-father and guardian of Jesus, St. Joseph faithfully fulfilled his mission, which began during the peril-ridden events of his son’s infancy.

While others cast judgment, St. Joseph defended Mary and her unborn son during her unexpected pregnancy. He guided his family’s difficult journey to Bethlehem. Refused welcome by the innkeepers, he accepted the humble alternative of an animal shelter.

‘This blessed saint’He watched in awe as both shepherds and magi came to adore the newborn Messiah, but soon afterward listened to Simeon’s unsettling prophecy about his little one’s inevitable destiny: “A light for revelation … A sign that will be contradicted.”

As he prepared to return home to Nazareth, St. Joseph was warned in a dream to flee to a foreign country. Stunned, he listened as the angel explained, “Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Terror! Quickly rising in the night to guide his family to Egypt, he likely understood in a deeper way his call to defend the Light.

For this reason, St. Teresa of Avila, the 16th-century mystic and reformer of the Carmelite Order, entrusted her life to the care of St. Joseph

“I am astonished at the great favors which God has bestowed on me through this blessed saint,” she wrote, “and at the perils from which He has freed me, both in body and in soul. Of this glorious saint my experience is that the Lord wishes to teach us that as He was Himself subject to him on earth (for, being His guardian and being called His father, he could command Him), just so in heaven He still does all that he asks.”

St. Teresa established 16 new monasteries throughout Spain. In poor health, she endured relentless trials, including difficult travels, legal disputes, monasteries in disrepair and opposition from enemies.

‘Guardian of Jesus’Seeking encouragement, she pondered the sufferings of the Holy Family, and wrote, “I do not know how anyone can think of the Queen of the Angels, during the time that she suffered so much with the Child Jesus, without giving thanks to St. Joseph for the way he helped them.”

Pope John XXIII also took St. Joseph as a guardian, describing him as “the shadow of the eternal Father.” Inspired by St. Joseph’s prayerful silence, the pontiff said, “You can make out the person and the mission of St. Joseph in his humility and silence, a silence that was bound to be succeeded by a loud, long cry of acclaim and glory through the ages.”

During his opening address at the Second Vatican Council in 1962, Pope John named St. Joseph patron of the council. Two months later, he further elevated St. Joseph as a pillar of the church, and permanently inserted his name into the canon of the Mass, alongside the Virgin Mary, his spouse.

As I continue without my father, I will keep St. Joseph close in prayer. Knowing he protected the infant Jesus in his greatest hours of need, I am confident that he will also protect me, and guide me to a new relationship with God the Father.

As Pope John XXIII prayed, “O Saint Joseph, guardian of Jesus, protect kindly those who trustingly turn to you.”

Jennifer Sokol is a parishioner of St. James Cathedral. Contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. document.getElementById('cloak47749466b054a395db5cd01123afba47').innerHTML = ''; var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; var addy47749466b054a395db5cd01123afba47 = 'jennifermsokol' + '@'; addy47749466b054a395db5cd01123afba47 = addy47749466b054a395db5cd01123afba47 + 'aol' + '.' + 'com'; var addy_text47749466b054a395db5cd01123afba47 = 'jennifermsokol' + '@' + 'aol' + '.' + 'com';document.getElementById('cloak47749466b054a395db5cd01123afba47').innerHTML += ''+addy_text47749466b054a395db5cd01123afba47+''; .

Posted April 11, 2013