Saint Joseph in Sacred Scripture and in Spirituality

Abstract

The article addresses the figure of Saint Joseph from the point of view of biblical exegesis and Catholic spirituality. It aims at reinterpreting some features of his character and suggests some answers concerning how God interacted with him and his form of answering the divine call. Christian spirituality has always interpreted his silence as an expression of his profound obedience and has granted him with several epithets: Putative or Nominal Father of Jesus, Guardian of the Redeemer, Husband of Mary, Patron Saint of Carpenters, among others. The research is based on texts of both the Old and New Testaments, which are studied according to their own nature and using analytic tools of the synchronic approach. Its purpose is to understand how God handled Joseph and the way in which he answered his call, which was based on a profound friendship with God Himself, just like Abraham and some biblical prophets. He is also represented, as a form of re-reading, as a contemplative man of the mysteries of the Kingdom, as the master of Jesus, and diligent protector of those in need throughout history. In this line of argument, the research finds a distant spiritual link, though bearing upgrading force, in the friendship Saint Joseph had with Teresa of Jesus, first female Doctor of the Church and regarded as Doctor of Prayer. She invites Christians to choose Saint Joseph as Master of Prayer, following him to learn of friendly conversation with Him Who we know loves us.

El artículo estudia, desde la exégesis bíblica y la espiritualidad cristiana católica, la figura de san José. Busca releer algunos rasgos de su persona y sugerir respuestas a los interrogantes acerca del trato que el Señor Dios le dispensa y su modo de responder a la llamada divina. La espiritualidad cristiana ha subrayado, siempre, su silencio como expresión de su profunda obediencia a los planes de Dios y le ha adjudicado muchos epitetos: padre putativo de Jesús, custodio y esposo de María, patrono de los obreros, patrono de las vocaciones, etc. Nuestra investigación, basada en textos evangélicos y veterotestamentarios analizados conforme a la naturaleza de los textos con herramientas propias de los métodos sincrónicos, propone comprender el trato dispensado por Dios a José y su modo de corresponderle a causa de su profunda amistad con Él al estilo de Abraham y de los profetas bíblicos: Oseas, Jeremías y Ezequiel. Lo presenta, también, a modo de relectura actualizante, como un hombre contemplativo de los misterios del Reino, el maestro de Jesús y diligente protector de los indefensos de la historia. Y en esta línea, el estudio encuentra en la espiritualidad un enlace lejano, cargado de fuerza renovadora, en la relación de amistad que tuvo con san José, la primera doctora de la iglesia católica, denominada “maestra de oración”: Teresa de Jesús. Ella, a su vez, invita a los cristianos escoger a San José como maestro de oración, aficionársele para aprender a tratar de amistad con quien sabemos nos ama.