Today’s Solemnity holds up St Joseph before us. St Matthew calls him a “just man.” (Matthew 1:19)This probably means that he was careful in his observance of the Law, in doing what he knows to be right before God. This we can see in his approach to Mary when he became aware that she was pregnant. (Matthew 1:18) In keeping with the Law, he decided the proper course was to divorce her. (Deuteronomy 22:23-27) But he decided to do so “secretly.” (Matthew 1:20; Deuteronomy 24:21) That is, his concern for the Law did not lead him to the conclusion that he must humiliate the woman he thought had offended by dragging her publicly before the court; the just man can be compassionate. (C.f.: John 8:3; Psalm 37:21) Instead, as was his right, he decided to just give her a Bill of Divorce in the presence of two witnesses.

But this is not what he did. Instead, he took Mary home as his wife. (Matthew 1:19) How, then, can he be considered just? For, as St Paul notes, “to be justified under the Law,” “you are obliged to do the whole Law.” (Galatians 5:3-4) In his Letter to the Romans, St Paul—who was a rather zealous Pharisee (Philippians 3:5)—tells us of his experience of trying to be righteous by keeping the Law: “Law,” he says, “brings retribution.” (Romans 4:14) “I discovered that the commandment that was meant for life brought death.” We have to keep the whole Law—all of it, all of the time. Paul lamented that he could not do this: “I do not understand the works I do. For I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate.” (Romans 4:15) Paul recognises that “sin within me is at work in me,” that though he desires to “do good works,” this is not what he does. (Romans 4:18)Paul came to know, despite his best efforts, that he could not save himself: “Miserable man that I am! Who will save me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24)

In our Second Reading, St Paul tells what he came to understand: that it was by faith that we are saved, by believing in God’s Promise of salvation. (Romans 4:13, 16) Paul found his answer in the example of Abraham, whom he came to call ‘our father in faith.’ (Romans 4:11, 16) Paul came to see that Abraham was justified, not by keeping the Law, but because he believed in the Promise God made to him: “At the promise of God he did not waver in unbelief, but was empowered by faith, giving glory to God by being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith was credited to him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:20-22)

In Christ Jesus, we have a promise of salvation, that we will become righteous and be able to do the good we want to do—this in the face of our experience, well put by St Paul: “to will good works is present in me, but to do them is not.” Our call is to believe that God can do what he has promised. St Benedict, then, has some advice on how we might do this: “Every time you begin a good work, you must pray to him most earnestly to bring it to perfection.” (Rule of St Benedict [RB] Prologue:4) He urges us in this way “to prepare our hearts and bodies for the battle of holy obedience to God’s instructions.” He goes on: “What is not possible to us by nature, let us ask the Lord to supply by the help of his grace.” (RB Prologue 40-41) What this means is, though we fail time and again in our efforts to do the good we want to do, that we get up and have another go, leaving ourselves open to the grace of God. This is how we find the rock on which to stand firm. (Psalm 40:2 Then, we too will “give glory to God” for having “placed all our hope in God alone,” by “being fully convinced that God is able to do what he had promised,” no doubt making us waver. (Romans 4:21; RB 4:41)

Benedict counsels: “If you notice something good in yourself, give credit to God, not to yourself, but be certain that the evil you commit is always your own and yours to acknowledge.” (RB 4:42-43) So, when we find we can do the good we want to do, we ought to rejoice in God and know, indeed, that “for God, nothing is impossible.” (Luke 1:37) Then we can join Mary in singing her Magnificat: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” (Luke 1:46-49) In doing the good we want to do, we must know God’s hand is at work in us, and so come to rejoice in the fact that God doesn’t just love, but that he really love me and is there to help me. (C.f.: Psalm 18:35; RB 7:67) And we can join Paul in his boast: “By God’s grace I am what I am” (RB Prologue:31; 1 Corinthians 15:10)—a boast that is made “in the hope of God’s power” alone, a boast made “in our trials.” (Romans 5:2 3) This is what it means to “build our house on rock.” (RB Prologue 33-34; Matthew 7:24 25) For the floods do come and the wind does blow and beats against our house; we are not exempt the trials of life, and in which we are surly tested. (C.f.: Hebrews 12:6-7) Yet, in the end, we find that somehow we do manage to stand firm and do do the good we want to do, living a life of virtue; indeed, nothing is impossible to God. (C.f.: RB Prologue:49) And so, our faith is credited to us for righteousness: How good is that! (C.f.: Romans 4:19, 22-24; 7:25; RB 7:68-70) This is the Promise made us in Christ Jesus.

Today’s feast hold up to us St Joseph, a man who hears a call in God’s Word to him, and so he does what is asked of him out of his love for God and in complete trust. We are called to that same faith, a faith that does not weaken when, in the light of our own call, we recall our own weaknesses that always seem to bring us undone (Romans 4:19), but a faith which clings to God’s promise of salvation and through which we become God’s sons and daughters. (Romans 8:14-17, 23) “For this hope,” says St Paul, “we are saved.” “But,” says Paul, “hope that is seen is not hope—for who would hope for what can be seen? So, we hope for what we do not see and with patience we eagerly expect it.” (Romans 24-25) So, as St Benedict would put it: “We must run and do now what will profit us forever.” (RB Prologue:44. C.f.: Prologue:19-21) This is our call. (C.f.: RB Prologue:50)