Students at St. Bernard Middle School held their annual
Blessing of the St. Joseph’s Table on Monday, March 17. The blessing was given by School President,
Fr. Joel Martin, O.S.B., who described St. Joseph as a righteous man.
Fr. Joel asked the students to learn from St. Joseph who
lovingly accepted Mary as his wife after Mary said “yes” to God, making
possible the birth of Jesus, God among us.
By accepting and loving Mary, St. Joseph welcomed God to this world.
By imitating Joseph and Mary, the students responded to God
with their own generosity by donating food items for those in need, showing
God’s love. Fr. Joel blessed the food
offered for the poor, and also blessed the students who make God present in the
lives of others.
The St. Joseph Altar or St. Joseph Table is an old tradition
that began in Sicily. During the Middle
Ages a draught threatened to bring about a severe famine. Only a sea of dust and withered vines
remained from what had once been row upon row of brightly colored fruits and
vegetables.
And so the people prayed.
They especially called on St. Joseph, considered their patron, to
intercede for them, pleading for relief from the famine that gripped the island.
At last the rains came and the people rejoiced. Sometime later, to show their gratitude, they
prepared a table in honor of St. Joseph; it held a special assortment of foods
they had harvested, which were then distributed to those less fortunate. The ancient custom is still celebrated, and though
Sicilian immigrants introduced the tradition to America, the celebration is not
confined to any nationality, but has become a popular custom for many Catholics
in America.
St. Bernard students contributed hundreds of canned food
items which will be donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank in Cullman.
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