Discovering the Life and Legacy of Saint Joseph (+ Lesson Plan)
Saint Joseph was a man who lived a long time ago, in a place called Palestine. He was a carpenter, which meant he made things out of wood. He was also a very religious man and believed in God very strongly. One of the most important things about Saint Joseph is that he was the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus.
Mary and Joseph were not married for very long when they found out that Mary was going to have a baby. But, it was not just any baby, it was a very special baby. An angel came to Mary and told her that the baby she was going to have was the Son of God. Mary was very happy and excited about this news, but Joseph was a little bit confused. He didn't understand how this could be possible. But, the angel came to him too and told him that he should not be afraid, that this baby was going to be very special.
After the angel's visit, Joseph did as he was told and took Mary and the baby Jesus to Bethlehem, where they had to go to be counted in a special census. When they got there, they couldn't find a place to stay, so they ended up in a stable, where Jesus was born. After Jesus was born, some shepherds came to see him, because they had also been visited by an angel who told them where to find the baby.
After Jesus was born, King Herod was worried that the baby might be a threat to his power, so he ordered all the baby boys in Bethlehem to be killed. But, an angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him to take Mary and Jesus and go to Egypt. So, Joseph did as he was told and took his family to Egypt, where they stayed for a while until it was safe to go back to Palestine.
When they returned, they settled in Nazareth. Joseph was a good father to Jesus and taught him how to be a carpenter, like he was. He also taught Jesus about God and how to be a good person. But, even though he was Jesus' father, he knew that Jesus was special and that he had a special mission to fulfill.
When Jesus was grown up, he began to travel around and teach people about God. Joseph was very proud of him, but he also knew that it was dangerous for Jesus to be doing this. He worried about him a lot. Eventually, Jesus was arrested and put on trial, and then he was crucified. Joseph was not there when this happened, but he knew that Jesus had died.
After Jesus died, some of his followers said that they had seen him alive again. Joseph didn't see Jesus himself, but he believed that Jesus had risen from the dead, just like they said. This made him very happy, because it meant that Jesus was still alive, even though he had died.
Saint Joseph is remembered as a just and righteous man, who played a significant role in the life of Jesus. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican Churches. He is the patron saint of fathers, workers, travelers, immigrants, and many others. He is a model of faith, obedience, and humility. He was dedicated to God and to his family, and he taught Jesus to be a good person and to love God. His life is an inspiration for all of us, to live a life of faith and virtue.
Prayer
Dear Saint Joseph,
You were a loving and caring father to Jesus, and you taught him about God and how to be a good person.
Help me to be like you, to love and honor my own father, and to follow in your footsteps by always trying to do what is right.
Guide me to be a responsible and hardworking person, just like you were a carpenter.
Please watch over me and protect me, just as you protected Jesus and Mary.
I pray that you intercede for me and my family, keep us always close to God's love.
Amen.
Lesson plan: The life of Saint Joseph
Objective:
Students will understand the life and significance of Saint Joseph by reading a biography, participating in group and individual activities, and discussing the impact of his life on Christianity.
Introduction
- Brief overview of Saint Joseph and his role in Christianity
- Discussion of the importance of studying the lives of saints
Biography of Saint Joseph
- Reading of a simplified biography of Saint Joseph, providing students with information about his life, role in Jesus' life, and significance.
Group Activity
- Divide the class into small groups and have each group create a visual representation of an important event in Saint Joseph's life, using art supplies provided.
- Have each group present their visual representation to the class and discuss the event and its importance.
Individual Activity
- Have each student choose one virtue that they believe Saint Joseph embodies and write a short paragraph about how this virtue can be applied in their own lives.
- Students can share their paragraphs with a partner or small group and discuss how they can work towards embodying this virtue in their daily lives.
Conclusion
- Summarize key points learned during the lesson
- Discuss the relevance of Saint Joseph's life and virtues today and how they can inspire us in our own lives
- Encourage students to continue learning about Saint Joseph and other saints, and reflect on how they can apply their learnings to their own lives.
Note:
The activities provided here are just a sample, you can adjust them
based on the class size, student's level, school's curriculum and your
own teaching style.
