What do you do with a problem in life or a difficulty in relationship that gnaws at your heart, disturbing your peace?\u00a0 Worry is not the solution to a problem. In fact, worry damages one\u2019s health. Yet, people say \u2018don\u2019t worry\u2019 about such and such a problem! It will pass. People cope with problems in different ways.<\/p>\n
In the book \u2018I Am With you Still\u2019, (2021), author Megan McKenna, while on a visit to South America told of a young girl whom she met when she stayed with a family there. She showed Megan a small set of dolls she had all of different sizes contained in the one doll. Every day the young girl took out the dolls and chatted to them about her cares in life. This helped her to deal with issues in life. Some people carry \u2018worry stones.\u2019 \u00a0Others do novenas. Others share their stories with a trusted friend. \u00a0Many pray the Rosary. There is wisdom in the saying, \u2018a problem shared is a problem halved.\u2019<\/p>\n
In June 2015, Pope Francis introduced the Statue of the Sleeping St Joseph to the world. Pope Francis had a statue of a sleeping St. Joseph on his desk for years and when elected Pope; he brought the statue from Argentina to the Vatican. \u00a0During his January 2015 visit to the meeting with families in Manila, he told them of his devotion to St. Joseph. \u00a0He places slips of paper under his statue of a sleeping St. Joseph when he has a special problem. In that way, he asks St Joseph to take care of the problem.<\/p>\n
Pope Francis said, \u201cEven when St Joseph is asleep, he takes care of the church! Yes! We know that he can do that. So when I have a problem, a difficulty, I write a little note and I put it underneath St. Joseph, so that he can dream about it! In other words I tell him: Pray for this problem!\u201d Pope Francis said. \u201cDo not forget St. Joseph who sleeps! Jesus slept with the protection of Joseph.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hence, these statues of the sleeping St Joseph are increasingly popular throughout the world.<\/p>\n
Today 19 March, the Church celebrates the feast of St Joseph. People are familiar with the many images of St Joseph, holding the carpenter\u2019s work tools, or standing with the baby Jesus in his arms or holding a lily. \u00a0The Church honours Joseph as the guardian and patron of Christ\u2019s universal Church.<\/p>\n
So how did the image of the sleeping Joseph emerge? Pope Francis explained how the Scriptures seldom speak of St Joseph but when they do, Joseph is resting, as an angel reveals God\u2019s will to him in his dreams.\u00a0 He said, \u201cJoseph\u2019s rest revealed God\u2019s will to him. In this moment of rest in the Lord, as we pause from our many daily obligations and activities, God is also speaking to us.\u201d Like St Joseph, once we hear God\u2019s voice, we must wake up, get up and take action.<\/p>\n
Today the Gospel (Mt 1:16, 18-21:24) proclaimed at Mass tells the story of how an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel told Joseph to remain with Mary and take her as his wife, even though she was pregnant. Joseph was a man of honour and integrity and wanted to spare her from publicity. He wanted to divorce her informally.\u00a0 The angel told him that Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and that, her child Jesus would \u2018save people from their sins.\u2019 In his integrity and obedience, Joseph \u2018did what the angel told him to do.\u2019<\/p>\n