How To Make Challah Rolls
Today we are feasting with… Saint Joseph.
Challah is a bread of celebration in the Jewish tradition. We made this recipe in honor of Saint Joseph’s Jewish heritage, and because bread is commonly found among the offerings at many ‘Joseph’s Table’ celebrations.
Go to Joseph
Saint Joseph was the earthly father of Jesus Christ and the husband of the Virgin Mary.
Everything we know about Saint Joseph comes from the Bible, although mentions of him are few. Joseph first appears in the Bible in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
After marrying Mary, but before they lived together, Joseph found that she was already with child. Being “a just man and unwilling to put her to shame”, he decided to divorce her quietly, knowing that if he did so publicly, she could be stoned to death. However, an angel came to Joseph and told him that the child Mary carried was the son of God and was conceived by the Holy Spirit, so Joseph took Mary as his wife.
After Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, an angel came to Joseph again, this time to warn him and Mary about Herod, King of Judaea, and the violence he would bring down. Joseph then fled to Egypt with Mary and Jesus. The angel appeared again to Joseph after Herod had died and instructed him to return to the Holy Land.
Joseph, Mary, and Jesus settled in Nazareth, in Galilee. The Gospels describe Joseph as a carpenter, and it is presumed that Joseph taught this skill to Jesus as well.
Joseph is only alluded to twice more: at the presentation of Jesus, and again when Jesus is twelve and was lost in Jerusalem. His parents searched for Him for three days and He was at last found in the Temple sitting among the teachers.
Joseph does not appear in Jesus’ public life, at his death, or resurrection, therefore many historians believe Joseph had probably died before Jesus entered public ministry.
Joseph is the patron saint of the dying because, assuming he died before Jesus’ public life, he died with Jesus and Mary at his side, the way we all hope to leave this Earth.
Saint Joseph is also the patron of carpenters, fathers, workers, and the Universal Church.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.