Our People

Homily for the Solemnity of St Joseph

St Joseph’s Hospital, Auburn

By Most Rev. Anthony Fisher OP
Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney
19/3/2007

In 1802 the holy foundress Mary Aikenhead, Mother and Superior of all the Sisters of Charity, became a Catholic. There are many moments of grace that lead people to the Church and, for Mary, that moment was witnessing the deathbed conversion of her own father to the faith. His courage in dying pointed Mary towards the Church and its Master. But his courage in living pointed her towards her vocation as a Catholic: for her father, as a doctor, had laboured amongst the poor Irish sick, and Mary too would give her life to the sick, the suffering, the poor and the dying, and give her death to inspire in others a similar generosity.

The love of the Church and the love of the sick were two motives in Mary Aikenhead’s heart, each bequeathed her by her father. Fathers sometimes have a bad press or are forgotten altogether. We are used in our society to thinking and talking of the heroic sacrifices of mothers, and that is a right and proper thing. But the sacrifices and example of fathers are important too, and today is a chance for us to remember them.

We are here to celebrate the Patron Saint of Fathers and also of our hospital and aged care complex here in Auburn: St Joseph, the step-father of Jesus. As I noted last year, we know very little of him, just a few treasured sentences from the Gospels and the effects of his life in the lives of his wife and adopted Son. Because we are given so few words on him, the images we have have become particularly important to us. Perhaps you recall St Joseph statues or prayer-cards from your childhood or some more contemporary images. In all the best St Joseph images, especially the icon of St Joseph that hangs proudly in our Hospital Chapel and the quilt of St Joseph which hangs behind us here at this Mass, one thing stands out: Joseph loves Jesus and Jesus loves Joseph.

God the Son did not simply occupy the throne of heaven, but came to occupy the arms of Joseph; and he did so, as our image shows, as a very little, very vulnerable, very needy boy. Though Jesus was also the most extraordinary boy the world has ever known, and had no natural father, he was still ordinary enough to need a step-dad. Yet, but he still needed care, and Joseph was the man to do it. He was no Hollywood Superdad, no SNAG with a social work degree and iron-man fitness. Yet like all good parents and step-parents he was “a just man”, a man of real inner strength. We need parents to lean on and Joseph’s courage made him the right one for this fragile child.

Joseph was engaged to a young girl, then he discovered she was pregnant. We read in today’s Gospel that it took an angel, a divine messenger, to clear up this situation and explain to the couple what was going on. But the angel does not give any easy or picturesque stories here; he delivers a hard theological truth: “your wife has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit”. The greatest theologians in the world, with the benefit of a long Catholic faith tradition and thorough Christian catechesis, struggle to unpack the meaning of this message, but the Carpenter simply accepted it on faith, does what he is told and proceeds to marry his betrothed and take her son as his own.

After this we have only glimpses of Joseph, mostly those in the Joyful mysteries of the Rosary: at the Nativity, the Presentation, the Flight into Egypt and the Finding in the Temple. In each he gives his help, his protection, and perhaps something of his craft, the mysteries of which tradition suggests he taught his boy. However, we have only glimpses, so authentic images are all the more treasured to fill in the gaps. And the images, as I said, show just how much he and his step-son loved one another.

What can we take from these images for St Joseph’s Hospital and Village Auburn? The Sisters of Charity and the family of their collaborators love their patients, and in turn they are deeply loved. Their fellow Sisters of Blessed Mary Mackillop will not mind, I’m sure, if I say the Charities’ love is also a Joseph-love: a love that turns towards little ones with their frail legs, or older ones with their longer but sometimes equally frail legs. With Joseph-love this institution loves them enough to cure them and to care for them. This is a legacy of Mary Aikenhead and of St Joseph, Protector of the Child Jesus.

Secondly, St Joseph was a practical man, a carpenter. If the Holy Family had to spend some uncomfortable nights in Bethlehem and Egypt at the beginning, it was not always the case. Even if they were not millionaires it is clear that they lived in a well-maintained home. Joseph was, after all, a professional builder! In these beautifully run and maintained facilities dedicated to him, we find today people who give practical care as well as loving care. St Joseph, I’m sure, sees the care, sees this well-run buildings as well as the love they make concrete, and approves. He is even happier when the buildings are improved!

Thirdly, St Joseph was a man of faith. It is often said of Jewish parents and indeed of many other parents, that they adore their children. This is not strictly true, theologically speaking, since adoration is properly reserved to God; but it was true in this one case: Joseph literally adored God in his arms. He was, then, a man of faith, and it was that faith that sustained him in his abiding and practical love.

St Joseph’s Auburn is a place belonging to St Joseph’s own tradition of Catholic faith, a place where that same God is worshipped. So on this great feast-day let us thank God for the leaders and managers, the care-givers and patients and residents of St Joseph’s, and let us pray that they continue to move forward as a community whose members look with love upon one another, work together in the practical spirit of the Carpenter, and keep faith with the God whom Joseph adored.