Repost: Reason For His Absence

Originally posted on March 18, 2007:

Reason for his absence

The Death of Saint Joseph, from this site:


"In God's Providence it makes no sense

why some of us live and some must die."

He never said a word to us as he went through his life.
He left that to the other folks, especially his wife.

His actions, a model for the married man's vocation:
keep still, work hard, love the wife, silence is your salvation.

His role in this life was to guard the greatest things on earth:
his beloved wife and Child - Jesus of the Virgin Birth.

He cared so well for his loved ones without a hint of pride,
perhaps that's why he died before his son was crucified.

For no father would just stand by and watch his son in pain,
no man could stand the sight of a beloved being slain.

For sure he would have been old and gray, wrinkled face and hand,
but years of toil and sacrifice still edified the man.

For him the thought of flight was wrong unless he had his son.
Then all Gethsemane could get to see an old man run.

The hands that once wielded wood and hammer, saw, plane and ax,
Would have not hung limp, as the soldiers scourged his child's back.

His voice would ring out loud and clear as one above the din,
while all the world ungratefully thundered "crucify him!"

The path He took to Golgotha, to Calvary, the skull,
would have been blocked by his father, although the road was full.

At the cross the carpenter would not have remained so calm
to see his precious child take a nail in every palm.

None of these things ever happened, I dare to venture why:
Heavenly Father knew Joseph would not let Jesus die

For no father would just stand by and watch his son in pain,
No man could stand the sight of a beloved being slain.

But this Man was the Son of God, and died on Calvary,
through His Passion and His Death sent here to set us all free.

SMD

3.18.2007