It was on this day one dozen years ago that our beloved Pope Francis inaugurated his papal ministry. In the course of the ceremony he received the Fisherman's Ring as one of the symbols of his office, the Petrine Ministry. This ring is like a wedding ring that symbolically binds him as Christ's Vicar to his beloved bride, the Catholic Church. I think of what is said to husbands in the Epistle to the Ephesians: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over to her.”
We celebrate today the Solemn Feast of St. Joseph, the husband of Mary. With a grace filled love for her and obedience to God, Joseph handed himself over to her. Mary was, indeed, the sole member of the Church of Jesus Christ. In handing himself to her as husband he became, to use the word of Pope Francis in his inaugural sermon, he became the “Protector” of the seedling Church that was Mary with Jesus within her. With explicit faith, hope and love, Joseph protected and guarded Mary and her child from manic Emperors, petty kings and religious fanatics. With great faith in God's will, he adopted her son Jesus into his royal line of King David knowing that the authorities wanted her son killed because of this (perhaps all of them to share this fate). Truely, faith hope and love were active along with his works, and by his works this trinity of virtues were perfected in him. Saint Joseph's being named Patron of the Universal Church is rooted in all this. He is ever our Protector. Finally, Joseph became the celibate lifetime companion of Mary and she became his--but it is a lifetime companionship that never ended because it blossomed into eternal life.
I first noticed this concept “lifetime companionship” to describe marriage in the film of Karol Wojtyla's 1960 mystical play “The Jeweler's Shop.” It is a play about a marriage rooted in love contrasted with another rooted in materialism, and then about their children. In the scene of the proposal in the good marriage, the man asks the woman he loves, “Will you be my lifetime companion?” She responds with joyful reciprocity. I have been thinking lately that in this concept “lifetime companionship” is a clue to a way we can experience with Saint Joseph the great mystery of his being the husband of the Ever Virgin Mary. I, for one, would be repulsed by a spirituality where I would think of myself as “husband” of Mary. However, the notion of being the lifetime companion of Mary is very attractive to me spiritually.
The word “companion” has an incredibly beautiful etymology. It comes from the Latin word “com,” meaning “together with,” and the Latin word “panis,” meaning “bread.” Literally, says the Oxford Dictionary, it means “one who breaks bread with another.” So, in the Jeweler's Shop drama, the good man is asking the woman, “Will you break and share bread together with me all the days of our lives?” In the case of Joseph, husband of Mary, not only will he be breaking bread with her all the days of his life, but also with the very One who will eventually reveal Himself (perhaps even to St. Joseph) as the Living Bread come done from heaven, as the Bread of Eternal Life, their son Jesus. Yes, ultimately, Jesus is the Living Bread that Joseph, husband of Mary, shared with her all the days of his life on earth and now shares in a transcendent manner for all eternity.
St. Bernard, in the 45th Sermon on the Song of Songs, recommends to all of us who feel discouragement in the spiritual life, yet wish to be saints, to become a lifetime companion to Mary—he uses the word “friend.” In Cistercian theological anthropology, a “friend” who is not one forever was never a friend. Becoming a friend to Mary, therefore, means becoming a lifetime companion in word and deed. Deeds suggested by Pope Francis 12 years ago are all encompassing: (quote)“to protect the whole of creation, to protect each person, especially the poorest and to protect ourselves.” (unquote) Being near Mary enables us to hear the voice of the Bridegroom Jesus calling us to live a holy life and so to have a place at the wedding feast of the Lamb in heaven, where we will recline with Mary and Joseph and Jesus and all the blessed who are invited—yes, all of us are invited. In just a few minutes we will all even now be invited to the foretaste of this heavenly banquet in the sacred banquet of the Eucharist. Breaking the Living Bread of the Eucharist together empowers us to a true friendship, a true companionship with all, one that is rooted in God,. St. Joseph, the husband of Mary, shared the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, with his lifetime companion, Mary. They share the Living Bread of Life with us. In that we all can rejoice as on a wedding day. Happy “wedding day” anniversary, Pope Francis! We are all praying for you.
