Carmelite QuotesLet us continue to look at Joseph. He, together with Mary, was the witness of the secret coming of God. How did he prepare for this? By practicing justice, by becoming righteous.
But what does it mean to be righteous? In the Old Testament and often in the New, to be righteous means aligning oneself with God’s will; it is, in a sense, everyday holiness; and this sums up Joseph’s life well. The episode where the Gospel describes him as being just or righteous is his discovery that Mary is expecting a child (Mt 1:18-25).
A shadow has crept into Joseph’s happiness. From now on, Mary is lost to him: he will find himself alone, and she too will be alone forever. All this is so unexpected, so mysterious and so incredible that Joseph no longer knows what to do; but this is where his holiness and spiritual wisdom are clearly seen. This is where he reacts as a just man, fully aligned with the will of God. In uncertainty, his first reaction is to settle on the solution most respectful of Mary’s person.
It is the reflex of a good man, with a big heart. He respects Mary too much to subject her to the reproach of the whole village, and he respects God’s law too much to build a home on such uncertain foundations. He will therefore simply, but with a heavy heart, return Mary’s freedom to her.
The greatness of Joseph’s soul is rooted in God, and God comes to meet his servant: he reveals his plan to him. From then on, everything becomes clear: Joseph understands Mary’s silence, and he grasps with a single intuition of faith what God expects of her and what God expects of him. God, once again, brings them together to insert them both at the heart of salvation history. She will give the Messiah her flesh and her features; he, son of David and a carpenter, will be there to legally give him a name in the royal line of David.
Maximum respect for people and docile acceptance of God’s initiatives: these were Joseph’s reactions to the mystery of Mary’s maternity. And this is how we, in turn, must approach the mystery of God’s action in us, in others, and in the world. This is how we must position ourselves, in faith, before the coming of the Son of God.
Mary’s maternity has been enveloped in silence from the beginning, like all of God’s great works, and no one will ever be able to penetrate the silence that veils the incarnation of Jesus. We must, like Joseph, enter into it with the yes of adoration; from now on we must be with him, and contemplate the glory that God has given him (Jn 17:24).
Father Jean Christian of the Annunciation, o.c.d.
(Jean Lévêque, 30 August 1930 – 11 June 2024)
Advent 2017, Carmelite Online Retreat
Saint Joseph: Adjust your expectations (excerpt, Week 1)
Note: On 11 June 2024, the Carmelite family lost a great servant of God, Father Jean Lévêque (Jean Christian de l’Annonciation), at the age of 93. His life and teachings, especially this profound meditation on St. Joseph, offer a beautiful echo of St. Paul’s admonition found in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “We walk by faith, not by sight.”
Father Jean Lévêque’s journey of faith began in the diocese of Soissons, where he was born on 30 August 1930. He joined the Discalced Carmelites in 1955, dedicating his life to God and the Order. With a deep love for Scripture, he earned a doctorate in theology from the Catholic University of Lille, focusing on the Book of Job. He served as an esteemed professor of Old Testament exegesis and oriental languages at the Institut Catholique de Paris from 1974 to 1990.
Father Jean’s pastoral ministry was extensive. He composed liturgical hymns, supported numerous Carmelite monasteries, and continued his apostolate even after a severe stroke left him hemiplegic in 2002. His last years were spent in a retirement and healthcare center, where he lived among the Spiritans and continued to inspire many through his ministry of prayer.
As we remember Father Jean Lévêque, we give thanks for his life of dedicated service and deep spiritual insight. His teachings continue to nourish and guide the faithful, and his legacy lives on through his beautiful homilies and writings. We entrust Father Jean to the Lord’s mercy and give thanks for his life offered in service to God and His Church.
Translation from the French text is the blogger’s own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.
Featured image: Photographer Elti Meshau captures this image of a person walking at night in Tirania, Albania. Image credit: Elti Meshau / Unsplash (Stock photo)
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Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 1:18-25 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Birth of Jesus the Messiah - Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
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