SPARTA The Gospels often record Jesus referring to God as “Abba” — in much the way that a child would refer with love to his or her own father back then — in his teachings. That was unusual for that time, when Jews often referred to God as the Father of the nation of Israel as a whole, not as an individual. No doubt, Jesus learned about God’s love for us in a personal way in part through the love that St. Joseph, his earthly foster father, had shown him growing up, Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli told faithful on Sept. 29 at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish here.
In a two-part presentation, Bishop Serratelli spoke about St. Joseph’s influence on his adopted son, Jesus, as the model of a “most chaste spouse” to the Blessed Virgin Mary and a loving father, who was “free of selfishness and possessiveness — the way that God loves us.” Some St. Kateri parishioners, who listened that night, went through the process of preparing to be consecrated to St. Joseph. The parish will hold a Mass on Dec. 8 at the conclusion of the Year of St. Joseph, which the universal Church is celebrating now. For this observance, Bishop Serratelli wrote a book, “Scriptural Novena to St. Joseph,” which Catholic Book Publishers in Totowa published earlier this year.
“This [St. Joseph’s loving example] remained imprinted on Jesus’ heart,” Bishop Serratelli told parishioners, who listened to his presentation in St. Kateri Church. Children in Israel in Jesus’ time, he said, used the word “Abba” as a sign of respect for their fathers and an acknowledgement that their fathers “love them and would not do anything to harm them.” Through St. Joseph, “Jesus got a glimpse of heaven — a portrait of God as ‘Abba’: father,” the Bishop said. St. Joseph modeled for Jesus the importance of listening to God and fulfilling his will. This included his taking on the role of protector of the Holy Family — and the Church — when he took Mary and the Child Jesus into exile in Egypt to protect him from Herod. St. Joseph also fulfilled his role as a Jewish father, forming Jesus in to an observant Jew by having him circumcised and teaching him the Talmud, a trade, — and how to swim, Bishop Serratelli said.
“No doubt, Joseph influenced Jesus. He passed on a trade, taught the Torah, and sang songs of the faith, laying a foundation for Jesus’ vast knowledge of Scripture,” which he used in his earthly ministry, Bishop Serratelli said.
St. Joseph influenced the imagery that Jesus used in several of his teachings — that of a mason or stoneworker, not a carpenter, as tradition tells us. The Greek word that describes the saint’s profession means “a skilled craftsman or builder,” not a carpenter. Nazareth, where the Holy Family had settled, does not have many trees, a source for lumber, but has lots of stone and rock. The houses there were built mainly of stone, Bishop Serratelli said.
So Jesus often spoke in images, such as building a house, which symbolized faith, on stone, not sand. He also called Peter to be the “rock” of his new Church. The bishop said, “Joseph worked with Jesus. He gave Jesus the building blocks for his great teachings.”
In his talks, Bishop Serratelli also spoke of St. Joseph’s example as a man, who listened to God’s will and carried it out. When he learned that Mary was pregnant with Baby Jesus by the Holy Spirit, he probably had doubts about living in intimacy with Mary and raising the Savior of the world. Or he might have worried about exposing Mary to public shame as an unmarried woman, who was carrying a child that was not his. So he planned to divorce her quietly, the Bishop said.
“But Joseph trusted the word of the Angel Gabriel and the Word of God,” Bishop Serratelli said. “Joseph plays a major role in receiving God into the human family — through his family [descended from King David]. He is the first guardian of the Church from the birth of Jesus until the end of time,” he said.
Bishop Serratelli deputed the popular image of St. Joseph as depicted in art — as an old, decrepit man, walking hunched over. If he worked as a stoneworker, he would not have been able to lift heavy rocks well into old age, among the Bishop’s many reasons.
For the Year of St. Joseph, a group of St. Kateri parishioners prepared to become consecrated to St. Joseph in a small group, which finished on Sept. 29, the day of Bishop Serratelli’s presentation. St. Kateri will hold a Mass on Dec. 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which marks the conclusion of observances for Year of St. Joseph.
Father Vidal Gonzales Jr., St. Kateri’s pastor, said the parish has been trying to “build a devotion to St. Joseph,” which has included saying the Prayer of St. Joseph at Masses.
“It’s good for men, as fathers and husbands, and women too. Jesus is calling all of us [to discipleship]. Mary and Joseph said ‘yes’ and salvation started with their ‘yeses,’ ” Father Gonzales said.
On Monday nights, Deacon Bruce Olsen prepared the group, using “Consecration to St. Joseph: the Wonders of Our Spiritual Father” by Father Donald H. Calloway. The parish also has made available copies of Bishop Serratelli’s “Scriptural Novena to St. Joseph,” which presents nine biblical reflections with accompanying prayers to help readers grow in their knowledge and love of St. Joseph.
“I’m more in love with St. Joseph. He shows true masculinity. The Church can focus on him as the defender of the Church — qualities that Bishop Serratelli talked about,” said Deacon Olsen, who also created an audio-video version of the Rosary of St. Joseph on YouTube. “We as men should be passing on this [a devotion to St. Joseph] to our young people,” he said.