MADISON Ancient Egyptians had a “go-to” guy they could rely on while their nation was grappling with seven years of famine in the time of Genesis: Joseph, Pharaoh’s second in command. Pharaoh would tell Egyptians, “Go to Joseph!” for some of the grain, which he had stored ahead of the famine that God revealed to him in a vision — enabling him to provide bread for countless physically hungry.
The heroic acts of Joseph of the Old Testament prefigure the life and ministry of St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, who accepted the role as the “go-to” guy to help raise the Christ Child, who became the Savior of the World: the “Bread of Life” for the spiritually hungry. That was one of many connections that a group of young men made between the two Josephs, including their trust in God, during a Feb. 24 videoconference to explore “The Authentic Masculinity of St. Joseph.” It was part of a men’s faith-sharing group, “Bros, Brews, and the Bible,” at St. Paul Inside the Walls: the Diocesan Evangelization Center here.
That night, Timothy Raczko, a member of St. Paul’s Young Adults, led 14 young men in the discussion, starting with a slide presentation that showed how Joseph of the Old Testament persevered through his life’s many trials, including slavery, imprisonment and famine, armed with his trust in God’s will. He prefigured St. Joseph’s role in salvation history as the earthly father of Jesus, whose life was fraught with the physical discomfort of travel and the mental anguish of discerning an uncertain future with the Blessed Virgin Mary. Yet both Josephs had the ability to see God’s will in dreams, he said.
“Both men experienced — and grew from — great periods of suffering in their lives. They were ready and willing to listen to the Lord. They prepared their hearts [for God’s message] — something we should imitate, during Lent,” said Raczko in the Feb. 24 men’s session, among the many that have been taking place via videoconference due to COVID-19 concerns.
In his presentation, Raczko noted that both Josephs were descended from royal bloodlines of Israel and endured the suffering of being exiled from their homes in Israel to Egypt. Joseph’s brothers — jealous that their father regarded him as his favorite son and gave him a coat of many colors — sold him into slavery to a caravan of Ishmaelites. They took him to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard, he said.
Later, St. Joseph would shoulder the difficulty of fleeing Israel to Egypt with the Blessed Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus after an angel visited him, telling him that King Herod would seek the child to kill him. Eventually, they made their way to Nazareth, Raczko said.
In Genesis, Joseph endured additional physical and mental anguish of being imprisoned in Egypt. Later, St. Joseph most likely experienced emotional difficulties when discerning whether or not stay with his betrothed, Mary, pregnant with a child that was not his. After a visit from an angel in a dream, who revealed God’s will, he decided to stay with her, Raczko said.
In Egypt, Joseph gained the ability to interpret dreams of his fellow prisoners. Later, Joseph interpreted the dreams of the Pharaoh, which anticipated seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine, a feat that led to Pharaoh promoting him to chief administrator — the second in command. An angel visited St. Joseph in four dreams that revealed his role in salvation history, Raczko said.
After interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams, Joseph ordered that grain be harvested and stored in the cities to get ready for the famine. During the lean period, a shortage of food in Canaan forced Jacob to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph. This eventually led to Joseph giving his brothers grain and reconciling with them, as well as the entire family reuniting, Raczko said.
After his presentation, Raczko led the group in discussion by posing questions, such as “What lessons do the two Josephs teach us about authentic masculinity?” and “What can I bring to St. Joseph for counsel and support?” The group maintains a policy of confidentiality to allow participants to speak freely through the Holy Spirit.
“Both men show that we are to be visible to others in the way we live God’s will,” said Peter Palumbo, a long-time member of St. Paul’s Young Adults and a married father of two, to The Beacon after the session. He also admitted that the lockdown has become “one long Lent filled with hardships and sacrifice,” which has led to a “spiritual hunger,” because people are not able to attend Mass at church as frequently as before the pandemic.
After the session, Christopher Caulfield, co-leader to young adults, ages 23-39, at St. Paul’s, also repeated his insights from the session, that St. Joseph is “relatable — not God and not sinless but he sets a high standard as a pious person.
“Being close to Jesus, St. Joseph is a strong intercessor. Go to him in prayer,” said Caulfield, adding that both Josephs “demonstrated authentic masculinity by listening to God, going to him and trusting in him,”
The young men’s discussion was among numerous activities planned in the Diocese to observe the Year of St. Joseph.