In the chapter on St.Joseph, James Martin describes first his experiences with refugees in Nairobi, Kenya and his encounter with the the Little Sisters of Jesus founded by by Magdeleine Hutin in 1939 in Algeria, who was inspired by the life of Charles de Foucauld, a French nobleman and soldier who left his luxurious life in 1886 to live in poverty , imitating the hidden life of Jesus.
Charles was killed in 1916.
These Little Sisters like the Little Brothers engage in menial labor , working in hospitals, factories and farms.
Knowing more about them leads James Martin to learn more about Joseph who was such a such significant influence on Jesus in his early life.
"It is the hiddeness of Joseph's life that speaks to me."
James Martin likes acts of hiddeness because they are opposite to what he often thinks important. He likes to get publicity for what he does.
"The burning desire for fame is of course a manifestation of pride." Martin cites the story of an old sculptor who was was creating a statue of the Bl.Virgin Mary for a Cathedral. He was paying great attention to the back of the statue.When someone pointed out that no one is going to see the back, he replied: "God will see it." He wants to make us understand that hidden life has a great importance:" I long for that kind of holiness.But I am very far from it."
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