SAINT-PE Joseph (Father) - France

Fr Saint-Pé was such a humble man, as I discovered in these last few weeks that he went under a different name: to the members of the religious community of Betharram, he was “Joe” and to his family “Jojo”! So that no one feels left out, I will call you by the first name of your patron saint, also a faithful, present and humble man like you “Joseph”.

Joseph, you left in the silence of the night waiting for the day. You left after a few weeks while waiting with lucidity, courage and faith  for a cure for the illness which took you away.  You left us  this Tuesday 2 December, the date you were expecting to return to Betharram to continue caring amongst your religious brothers and the staff of the Retreat House which you knew. You left us during the days that the Church is entering the time of advent: the time of waiting for the Saviour who comes to give us life. Yes, the time of waiting which also punctuated your human and spiritual life. Could this be a message that you leave us living your passage in this time of advent so that we turn our eyes towards the future, towards the star of Bethlehem which will shine, towards the child that will be born: Emmanuel, God with us? Could this be a witness that you deliver to us, a testament of hope so that we continue on our journey?

You left at the start of advent, a time of hope, a time of waiting with at its heart a quiet joy. However this morning we stumble faced with your departure, before the death which pains us.

We must welcome the words of Isaiah at the heart of our pain. Comforting words which open up hope. In colorful language, the book of Isaiah announces the sumptuous banquet that God will provide for all peoples on Mount Zion. He will not only put an end to Israel’s humiliation, but will wipe away tears from all faces in a sign of reconciliation with the entire human family. Thanks to the Lord God of the universe, life will have the last word. «The Lord will prepare for all peoples a feast on his mountain ... He will destroy death forever.» Yes, Joseph, you left in the silence of the night waiting for the day.

In light of your life, Joseph, Christ’s words resonate in a particular way in our hearts, words which speak to us too. «Stay dressed for service and keep your lamps burning ... Blessed are those servants who the Lord finds awake when he comes. He will take on the servant’s role and they will be the guests at the table.» Yes, Jesus exhorts his disciples to remain in service dress, like the servants in the parable waiting for their master on his return from the wedding. But with the arrival of the master, the situation is reversed. It is he who will take on servant’s role and bring to the table those who have waited. But this reversal of roles is appropriate to only one master, Jesus of Nazareth, the Emmanuel, who came to serve and not to be served. In turn, every disciple is invited to follow this example of master-servant because we are not engaged in an uncertain, blind future. We expect someone who tells us that we are expected ourselves. Yes, Joseph, you left in the silence of the night waiting for the day.

Is it not that day that we want to celebrate in accompanying Joseph this morning? That day when life is stronger than death, ever since Easter morning. This day the Lord God of the Universe awaits us as a shepherd, like the good shepherd who prepares for his friends the table of his Body and his Blood, which, beyond the valley of darkness, leads them to the heavenly mansions where there will be only grace and happiness.

At the heart of our pain, that hope gives us the strength to believe that life is stronger than everything. May this hope unite us to give thanks to God for all that Joseph was able to begin throughout his life as a religious man and priest. May that hope nourish our faith.

You the God of life, You the source of love, give us the power of your Holy Spirit to believe, through the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus, that Joseph lives in You, with You for that day which never ends: eternal life. Amen.

Jean-Dominique Delgue scj
Regional Vicar