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None of St. Joseph's words are recorded in Scripture - only his decisive and obedient actions.
"This makes St. Joseph a good model for all of us," Bishop W. Shawn McKnight told a very small congregation in the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Jefferson City, along with all who would tune in online, during a Thursday Mass for the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary.
"Sometimes, perhaps, we rely too much on words and not enough on action," the bishop said. "We are called to fulfill our vocations and to place the needs of others before even our personal fears and apprehensions: to be a people of action."
It was the first solemn Mass in the cathedral since all public Masses in the Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City were suspended until further notice to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
"In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we might be full of fear," McKnight said. "We hear every day about how infectious this virus is and how serious and deadly it can be, especially for those who are over 60 years of age.
"But, my dear people, during this time in which we are experiencing something as close to a plague as we may ever encounter in our lives," he said, "the church is called to fulfill her vocation: to be present to those who are in need, the sick, the lonely, the poor and the forgotten."
He acknowledged the Catholic Church must exercise great prudence in carrying out that mission to keep the virus from spreading more quickly than there are health care resources available to handle it.
"Nonetheless, the church, in her maternal extinct, will not fail to care for those in need," he said. "And in so doing, we fulfill our mission to be light in the darkness."
McKnight said as husband of Mary and as foster-father of Jesus, St. Joseph is an appropriate patron saint for the universal church and the cathedral as mother church of the Jefferson City Diocese.
"The practice of having patron saints makes a connection between the community of faith and the saint under their patronage," the bishop said. "We seek their protection as we contemplate their particular virtues or role in salvation history."
And just as St. Joseph overcame his own fear to serve God through steadfast obedience, God's people must not let fear paralyze them in carrying out their own vocations to protect, to heal and to save.
"Like St. Joseph, let us be the righteous people God has created and called us to be, to be a people of active Christian charity," McKnight said.
Joining McKnight at the altar were Bishop Emeritus John R. Gaydos; the Rev. Louis M. Nelen, pastor of Cathedral of St. Joseph parish; and Monsignor Donald W. Lammers, a retired priest of the diocese. Deacon John Schwartze assisted them.
Seminarian Ryan Bax functioned as the altar server. Shane Kliethermes, a member of Immaculate Conception parish in Jefferson City who is a student at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, proclaimed the readings.
Ashley Wiskirchen, a member of Cathedral of St. Joseph parish, served as cantor.
McKnight noted making a spiritual communion - also known as a communion of desire - is an important facet of the life of the church.
"Sometimes, we can't always be in church, yet we can always be spiritually connected with one another in Christ," he said.
At the offertory, organist Tom Halpin played a quiet variation on the ancient Gregorian chant "Ubi Caritas." The words, in Latin, mean, "Where charity and love are true, God is present."
McKnight asked everyone to pray for the protection of all who are suffering at this time of pandemic, including health care workers, first responders and especially all who are lonely, poor and most in need.
To read the full version of this article, view it on the Catholic Missourian's website.