St. Joseph’s hidden burdens

Happy Feast of the Holy Family!

One of the most comforting truths of our faith is also one of the hardest to live. You’re not living the whole story — you’re living your current page.

One of the most powerful (and overlooked) truths of the Bible is typology—the way God weaves the same story across centuries, fulfilling promises in ways no human author could plan. Different people. Different centuries. Same Author. 

In this reflection, we look at the stunning parallels between Joseph in the Old Testament and St. Joseph in the New, and what they reveal about suffering, trust, and God’s plan.

Old Testament Joseph didn’t get to see the whole picture. He only saw the chaos of the page he was on—betrayal, exile, fear, uncertainty. And yet, he lived with peace because he trusted the Author...and look what happened thousands of years later! Prophecies fulfilled. A Savior born in a manger. And another Joseph managing the chaos of his current page while trusting in the larger story.

If you’re walking through illness, family struggles, anxiety, grief, or confusion…this message is for you. This can be especially difficult to remember during the holidays, but your pain isn’t your story. It’s one page in a much bigger one that is unfolding according to divine plans we may not understand in our lifetime.

I hope this reflection puts you on the path to accept the peace that both Josephs found amidst chaos—by trusting in the love of the Lord who knows the glorious ending of your story.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Chris talks about “the chaos of the page you’re on.” What does that phrase bring up for you right now?
2. Can you think of a time in your life when something that felt chaotic later made sense in hindsight?
3. Where do you struggle most to trust God when you don’t understand what He’s doing?
4. The Holy Family experienced fear, displacement, stress, and uncertainty, but had confidence in God's ultimate plan. How does that change the way you think about holiness in family life? What would it look like to invite God’s peace into the “chaos” of your own family?
5. What “page” of your story are you living right now? (Illness, transition, joy, stress, grief, growth, confusion, etc.) How might remembering that this is not the whole story change the way you face it?

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