Counselor in Life: Understanding

"After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.” ~ (Luke 2:46)

Case in point: how did Jesus, a lone lost twelve-year old boy get "to sit among the teachers," that is, the Doctors at Law, and learn "to listen and to ask questions" like that?

And where did He get to acquire the threefold essential skills for human maturity and self-mastery, namely: (1) to sit still; (2) to listen; and (3) to ask questions. Who taught him? Who was His role model? Who did He look up to? Was it not his foster father, Joseph?

There are two ways to teach. One is easy; the other difficult. One is to confer knowledge or rather, to give correct answers to questions. The other is to inspire exploration and self-discovery. That would require the mastery of the afore-mentioned threefold set of essential skills.

What kind of knowledge could Joseph possibly teach his Holy Son, Jesus, which He does not know already? What could you teach the omniscient God?! Obviously not your finite and fallible knowledge, but rather your own ignorance.

To present another person with your own conscious ignorance is a humiliating and humbling experience. It takes an honest and courage man to do so; a man who knows himself. It also affirms that to acknowledge your own ignorance is healthy. Even with a child! Unless I acknowledge that I don't know, I will never be able to learn and grow.

The best way to acknowledge our conscious ignorance is to reveal our doubts and to raise questions. This is what an inspirational teacher does. We see that in Jesus. Later as the Divine Teacher, when his disciples asked about the time of the end of the world, what was His answer? "I don't know!" Only God the Father knows (Mark 13:32).

Where did He learn that kind of humility from, again, if not Joseph?!

How would an ordinary man teach his all-knowing Son of God? He could either undermine his own capability and give up on himself or he could examine himself through and through in order to understand where he is, what he doesn't know and what he is able to do. Then teach it by being honest about it.

Joseph was not only the teacher, but also the coach and counselor to Jesus. He does that with a simple rule: use the carpenter ruler. In a word, measure everything, in particular himself with his Lord as the Ruler!

Does that makes sense to you? If no, where? If yes, how?

What does that mean to you?

Your reflection.

Stop! Stay still for six seconds. Take a deep breath... say slowly:

JE-SUS....

The Saints on St. Joseph

“If it is true that the Blessed Virgin is the keeper of all heavenly graces, that her love for the elect is the source of their glory and happiness, what must be the glory of St. Joseph whom she was obliged to love above all the saints, just as a good wife must love her husband above all men. Meditate on this.” ~ Blessed

Boleslava Lament

“To give life to someone is the greatest of all gifts. To save a life is the next. Who gave life to Jesus? It was Mary. Who saved his life? It was Joseph. Ask St. Paul who persecuted him. Ask St. Peter who denied him. Ask all the saints who put him to death. But if we ask, ‘Who saved his life?’ Be silent, patriarchs, be silent, prophets, be silent, apostles, confessors, and martyrs. Let St. Joseph speak, for this honor is his alone; he along is the savior of his Savior.” ~ Blessed William Joseph Chaminade

Our Father...

St. Joseph: Counselor in Life.

Lead us to understanding in the Holy Spirit (3x)