God’s Providence is majestic like a beautiful mountain lake. You know that crystal blue water runs deep somewhere, and so it is with God. So it is with God’s care for us. God is, without question, working behind the scenes in our life, whether we like it or not. Believe it.
I am nothing. Only a tool in the hands of providence; a lowly instrument at the service of St. Joseph. – St. Andre Bessette
For me to see that quote and share it here with you is a fine example of God’s providence working in my life. I have been praying the Litany of St. Joseph. When time permits, I like to pray the Litany of St. Joseph four (4) times. A board has four sides. When I get done, I feel like I am handing up St. Joseph a board, and it allows him to work for us in heaven which he most assuredly is doing. It’s all a matter of faith.
Abram put his faith in the LORD, who attributed it to him as an act of righteousness. Genesis 15:6
Faith has its roots going all the way back to the beginnings of the Old Testament with the patriarch (the male head of a family or tribe) Abraham in the Book of Genesis.
Abraham’s act of faith in God’s promises was regarded as an act of righteousness, i.e., as fully expressive of his relationship with God. St. Paul makes Abraham’s faith a model for Christians. Source: USCCB
Without faith, we’re not living an authentic Christian life. Think about the Nicene Creed we profess together each weekend at holy sacrifice of the Mass. You watch a sporting event, and there’s a good chance you believe one team will be victorious over the other before the game ends. Similarly, we believe Jesus was crucified, died and was buried. And on the third day he rose again from the dead. Victory!! Hooray!!
The Lord’s passion depicts for us our present life of trial – shows how we must suffer and be afflicted and finally die. The Lord’s resurrection and glorification show us the life that will be given to us in the future. – St. Augustine
That is a game changer, as they say. That is the game changer! We believe Jesus is the Word, and Jesus has been in existence before the game ever even started! It’s the real game of thrones. There is a throne in heaven above all other thrones (Psalm 103:19).
Believe it in your bones.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
I could write thousands of blog posts, but if I don’t have faith like that humble, little man St. Andre, then it would all be a fruitless effort and a waste of time. It was through the faith of St. Andre he believed he was just “a puppy dog” for St. Joseph. The humble St. Joseph who has been lifted up and now works for the Lord in heaven.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. Luke 1:52
Providence runs deep. I get shot down again and again in my own sins of pride, while little St. Andre is lifted up alongside St. Joseph in heaven before the throne of God.
Humility + Faith + Prayers + Action = really good results pleasing to God.
Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, founded by Saint Brother André, is a Catholic shrine dedicated to Saint Joseph. Place of expression of faith, prayer, healing and peace, the Oratory welcomes pilgrims and visitors in a spirit of openness and compassion.
If St. Andre didn’t have faith in God, Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal would never have happened. If St. Joseph, the foster father of the Son of God, didn’t have faith in God’s providence working in his life who know what may not have happened!
The Church, which has spread everywhere, even to the ends of the earth, received the faith from the apostles and their disciples. –St. Irenaeus
St. Joseph is the patron saint of the Church. Without St. Joseph’s faith in the Lord, would there be God’s Church on earth to spread everywhere for the salvation of souls? Thanks be to God, St. Joseph had faith like his Hebrew ancestor Abraham. St. Joseph had faith like that humble little porter St. Andre Bessette of Mount Royal. St. Joseph had faith like the least of our brothers and sisters who believed in Jesus in the Gospels.
The woman with the hemorrhage…
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from that hour the woman was cured. Matthew 9:22
The Blind Beggar Bartimaeus…
Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. Mark 10:52
The sinful woman at the Pharisee’s house…
But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:50
The cleansed Leper…
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” Luke 17:19
And so I want to ask you here, how deep is your faith in God? Can you see that it is faith in Jesus that saves us? Is your faith in God as deep as God’s providence working in your life behind the scenes? Along with St. Andre’s own humble affirmation of nothingness, we see ordinary people in the Bible…
Is he not the carpenter’s son?…Matthew 13:55
end up doing extraordinary things for God’s purposes.
Saint Joseph, teach me how to pray. – St. Bernadette
It all starts with faith.
…Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17
It is faith that makes us righteous with God.
…the just one who is righteous because of faith shall live. Habakkuk 2:4
Know with every fiber of your being that your prayers are heard in heaven, and that the Lord is with you! Jesus is with us through the good and the bad (Matthew 28:20).
The divine heart of Christ is an abyss of lowliness to counteract our foolishness, an abyss of mercy for the wretched, an abyss of love to meet our every need. – St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
At the end of earthly life, it is your faith in Jesus that will save you and help save others along the Way. And so I want to ask you here, in faith, won’t you please pray and give St. Joseph a board to work with? St. Joseph and St. Andre are miracle workers for God. Let them build miracles through your prayers.