By Dennis Kellogg
Director of Communications
I had just finished attending a school Mass in Lincoln and had decided to stay a little longer to say some extra prayers. That’s when something caught my eye.
A class of very young children seated in front of me was exiting the pews, one by one. Each student was genuflecting before the tabernacle, before our Lord.
It wasn’t the kind of quick knee bend I’m sometimes guilty of when I’m in a hurry. There was intention in each one of their gestures. They concentrated. They were determined to get this right. Bending the correct knee, pausing for the correct amount of time, making the sign of the cross correctly.
Watching over them was their teacher, who would gently correct their incorrectness when necessary. All with a warm smile that encouraged them to keep trying. And when they would get it right, you could see a little joy creep across their young faces, knowing they were on their way to mastering this skill, achieving a gem of a genuflection.
I share that story because it reminds me so much can be said without saying a word. The burgeoning faith of those young children was obvious in their body language – from the early intensity when their knee started to go down, to their smile after standing back up and turning to leave, having accomplished what they set out to do. It meant enough to them (and their teacher) to take the time to bow down with reverence before Jesus. That gesture alone says so much and meant so very much. No words necessary.
It also reminds me of the life of St. Joseph. The silent saint. The Bible doesn’t record anything ever said by Joseph. Yet that hardly means he had nothing worthwhile to communicate to us. He just used the same style those young children used when genuflecting. It’s not about what is said, but instead, what is done.
We know from Scripture St. Joseph was a man who loved Jesus and Mary, provided for them and faced danger to protect them from evil. He was obedient to God. He listened to God and undoubtedly listened to Jesus and Mary, as well, living side-by-side for years with the God-man and the Mother of God.
We honor St. Joseph this Monday (May 1) on the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. It’s the second of his feast days. St. Joseph is honored by the Church for his many attributes. He serves as patron saint of the Universal Church, families, fathers, and travelers. The list goes on as his patronage also includes immigrants, unborn children, exiles, the dying, and workers, among many others. St. Joseph, not known for the eloquence of his words, interestingly helps give voice to the voiceless in today’s society
Joseph was intent on doing the work of God – not talking about it, but doing it. He reminds me of a hard worker who keeps his head down and focuses on the task at hand, not allowing distractions to disrupt him. That could also describe a Nebraska farmer or rancher, or my own father, or even a young child learning to genuflect properly.
A few weeks after I watched those children after Mass, I was back in that same Lincoln church. I again lingered in the pew after Mass long enough to notice an elderly man as he prepared to leave. He struggled just to stand up. As he stepped into the aisle, I expected he might bow his head toward Jesus before exiting the church.
Instead, he grabbed the side of the pew, slowly lowered his frail body down to one knee, his pain obviously increasing the lower he got. When the knee hit the ground, he bowed his head, reverently made the sign of the cross, then grabbed the side of the pew again and pulled himself up with all his strength to a standing position.
I thought to myself, Jesus probably would have appreciated him just bowing his head, but this man wanted to give more. He wanted to do more. With a simple gesture that was anything but simple for him, he gave his all to the Lord. It meant enough to him to take the time to bow down with reverence before Jesus. That gesture alone says so much and meant so very much. No words necessary.
Let us be like that older man, like those young children and like St. Joseph. Let us let our action speak for us, showing Jesus how much he means to us by loving him with the focused intentionality of a child genuflecting for the first time, with the “giving it everything I have” effort of an elderly man genuflecting for the too-many-times-to-count time, and with the silent strength of an earthly father who showed Jesus how much he meant to him by doing the work of our heavenly Father.
St. Joseph the Worker, pray for us.
