St. Joseph's Lantern
A homily at DuBois Central Catholic
Editor’s Note: This is a summary of a homily from Fr. Ben Daghir at DuBois Central Catholic on December 21, 2022.
You will often see St. Joseph with a lantern. Do you know why he has a lantern?
A lantern only gives enough light for the next step. St. Joseph is known for following God’s will one step at a time. St. Joseph was never able to see the big picture. He never saw all of the miracles of Jesus, the remarkable parables of Jesus, the Last Supper, crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension, Pentecost, and so much more. St. Joseph was only given the next step from the Lord. And, quite courageously, he took the next step. Therefore, he holds a lantern.Â
In other words, St. Joseph has much to teach us. We often want God to hand us a crystal ball that shows us the future. We want to know our grades at the end of the quarter, how our sports teams will do, how college will work out, what our future profession will be, how 2023 will go, how all of life will work out, etc. We want to know every step of the road ahead. But, as you well know, we simply do not know the future. We cannot see that far ahead.Â
And this is a gift from God. Here’s why: if we knew everything in the future, we would be at peace, but actually, we would be fearful if we were to see all of the great challenges, conflicts, and problems all at once. God hands us a lantern so we may grow one step at a time. We become more courageous, humble, and holy with each step. Then, when life's significant difficulties come our way - we courageously face them one at a time. Â
There is also another perspective associated with the lantern. The sunlight shines over the entire earth each day. Yet, the magnificent and powerful light of the sun cannot penetrate the depths of caves, ravines, and caverns. Do you know what can penetrate the deepest and darkest parts of the world? A lantern. But it takes a courageous soul willing to carry it.Â
The point is that the Lord is handing you a lantern so that you take the next step with faith and courage. He wants you to face challenges and enter into the depths of life. He wants your lantern to be a light for others who are lost in the dark.
Like St. Joseph, he wants you to take one step at a time. I couldn’t think of a more important message for us entering this new year and our seniors preparing for the next chapter of life. Ask the Lord for a lantern, and let the journey begin.
Fr. Ben Daghir
