O most glorious Saint Joseph, Virginal Father of Jesus and Chaste Spouse of Mary. Patriarch and Protector of the Holy Church, to whom the Eternal Father entrusted the care of governing and defending the Holy Family on earth. Protect us also, who belong as faithful Catholics, to the holy family of thy Son, who is the Church, and send us the necessary goods of this life, and above all the spiritual help for eternal life. Amen.
O Saint Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt, before the Throne of God, I place in thee all my interests and desires. O Saint Joseph, do assist me by thy powerful intercession and obtain for me from thy Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below thy heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of fathers.
O Saint Joseph, I never weary contemplating thee and Jesus asleep in thine arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near thy heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. Amen.
The merchant rummaged through his wares and found a tiny pair of sandals, the smallest in stock. Still… they wee twice the size of the Boy’s little feet. How could such a problem be resolved?
A Pair of Sandals for Little Jesus, Heralds of the Gospel Magazine, March 2019
The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord is a most beautiful occasion to celebrate the restoration of harmony in the universe. It is the commemoration of the day in which creation began to shine with an entirely divine brilliance, through the merits of Mary Most Holy.
A position of humility and admiration
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus Who is called the Christ. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his Mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
(Mt. 1:16, 16)
St. Matthew’s narrative highlights what was previously stated, for it reveals the honesty and unshakeable faith of St. Joseph in face of the greatest difficulties. Frenzy held no sway in his soul — an example for a world that worships agitation and restlessness. Indeed, the lives of the Saints unfold calmly and serenely, even amidst trials. When they suffer setbacks, they reflect, make a decision, and go forward without losing peace of soul.
Joseph “was righteous,” and when he saw that Mary was with child he entertained no suspicions regarding her purity, for he knew her very well and “believed more in the chastity of his spouse than in what he saw with his own eyes, more in grace than in nature.” Meanwhile, as one who cherished and fulfilled the Law — as is proved in other Gospel episodes — he found himself obliged to publicly or privately repudiate or to denounce her, handing over to death one whom he knew to be entirely innocent. He could, conversely, have kept her with him, refraining from accusing her, and assuming her child as his own, but he was not favourable to this option, considering himself unworthy of such a lofty and extraordinary happening. Thus, not understanding what was taking place with her, he adopted an immediate stance of humility and inferiority. He put everything in God’s hands, accepted the humiliations, and decided to withdraw secretly before the situation were to become manifest, as if to say: Domine non sum dignus.
You have been found worthy!
Such was his intention when, behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
(Mt. 1:16, 20)
Prepared to leave and crushed by sorrow, he received a revelation from an Angel: the fruit of Mary Most Holy bore within her was God Himself made Man, and she would be Mother without ceasing to be Virgin! As for him, contrary to what he thought, he was indeed worthy of his heavenly spouse, becoming on of the first to know the sacred mystery of the Incarnation of the Word.
You will be the Child’s father
She will bear a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save his people from their sins.
(Mt. 1:16, 21)
Consolation and awe must have inundated St. Joseph as he learned that he was associated with this mystery and to hear from the Angel that it was his duty, as the patriarch and lord of the home, to name the Child. Just as God the Father had named the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity in His eternal generation, calling Him Saviour — for Jesus means he who saves — Joseph would also denote His mission with respect to His temporal birth, assuming, by a special divine concession, a human role analogous to that of the Eternal Father. In this regard, the pious Fr. Isidore Isolano comments: “Parents customarily have the authority to name their children. As Jesus was the Son of God, St. Jospeh would do this in place of the Heavenly Father. When princes are baptized — the occasion when Christians name their children — who wold customarily stand in the parents’ place for giving the name, if not another king, ambassador or other high dignitary? In a similar circumstance for the Heavenly Father, no one appeared to Him as pleasing, as worthy and as eminent as St. Joseph.” Thus, the prophecy that the Messiah would be the Son of David would be entirely fulfilled; He would be so by both the father and the Mother.
Msgr. João Clá Dias, New Insights on the Gospels Solemnities, p. 45-47
Now, while to the Divine Maternity have been attributed the loftiest supernatural privileges that are known to Mary, theology has yet to fully develop the magnificent role of St. Joseph. For, as her spouse — he was necessarily clothed in supreme excellence.
As Mary was for Jesus the best of mothers, Joseph was also for Him the best of fathers. Truly, with what devotedness did St. Joseph care for the Child Jesus; with what untold dedication did he watch over the Blessed Virgin! The few references to the Holy Patriarch in the Gospels show us a giant of faith and confidence, but leave to our piety and Catholic theological sense the sublime task of completing his image.
Now, to be truly a father is to epitomize within oneself the excellence of all the activities of a man. St. Joseph, zealous and responsible in his paternal duties, undoubtedly fought for the sustenance of the Holy Family. However, this was the least elevated of his prerogatives. With the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus, he alternately assumed — according to circumstances — the role of supporter, consoler, guide and counsellor, of ruler and leader, of protector and defender, of instructor and director… In short, although Jesus had no need of this, He wanted to depend of Joseph, so that in everything He would be like us.
Let us consider, for example, the tremendous trial St. Joseph was confronted with, right at the beginning of his marriage to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In the Old Testament, the greatest blessing a Jew could desire was that of being counted among the ancestors of the Messiah. In view of this, the immense majority of the chosen people sought to get married and have children, and sterility was often considered a sign of disdain and opprobrium.
But, St. Joseph, moved by grace, did not wish to marry, in order to preserve his virginity. He lead the calm life of a chaste and pure man when, unexpectedly, he received a convocation: all of the direct descendants of David had to appear before a virgin named Mary, so that among them a husband would be chosen for her.
Ever obedient, St. Joseph presents himself along with his relatives, trusting in the voice of grace that led him to embrace virginity. In his heart he had the certainty that another would be chosen.
At that time people travelled using a staff for support, and therefore each candidate carried one. The priest in charge of the ceremony declared: he from whose staff a flower blossoms, shall be chosen to unite himself to Mary.
St. Joseph looks at his staff… and sees a flower appear on it!
Suddenly, all of his hopes of virginity vanished. What would happen now? He confides. It was a miracle that obliges him to wed Mary. Nevertheless, in the depth of his soul he desires to remain a virgin!
Serenely and courageously, he accepts the divine will.
He began to chat with the young lady and discovered that she also had made a vow of virginity. The difficulty appears to be resolved: both would remain chaste and virgins. What joy! His hopes were still alive. As the days passed, he perceives the incomparable richness of soul of that Virgin who was placed in his home. He thinks: “I will protect her with extreme care. I am here to defend her in the splendour of her honour against all kinds of attacks.”
However, at a given moment, the unthinkable occurs; he perceives that the Virgin is expecting a Child. Perplexity fills the mind of St. Joseph.
He could not understand what was happening, after so many miracles… the flowering of the staff, the charm with which they communicated to one another the reciprocal desire of perpetual virginity, the joy of soul they felt as a result: “Now I understand! God placed us on the same path. He promised, and now He is fulfilling His promise!”
But then, the incomprehensible…
St. Joseph went through an unspeakable trial, as did Our Lady, once she had perceived the full extent of her husband’s suffering. It was an anguish all the more intense due to the fact that he knew that a betrayal on the part of that incomparable Virgin was impossible. According to Jewish law, if a wife was unfaithful the husband had the obligation of expelling her from his home.
But St. Joseph was certain that Mary had not committed any sin.
Fearing to hold an unjust opinion with regard to this most holy Virgin, and incapable of hiding that irremediable fact, St. Joseph resolved to leave the house of Nazareth unnoticed. In preparation for the long day’s journey that awaited him he decided to rest. He would leave the next morning, taking with him only his staff, some food and the burden of a great mystery, that was heavier than Mount Everest. How did this happen? My God, my God… I trust in Thy promise!
In spite of the affliction, his soul was so trustful and so serene that he fell asleep. And upon sleeping, he dreamt. In his dream he received this consolation: God communicated to him that the Child formed in the virginal womb of Mary was the Word Incarnate, the Son of the Holy Spirit.
When St. Joseph awoke, peace reigned in his soul. And Our Lady, on seeing the luminous semblance of Her husband, knew that his trial had ended.
Because he was a hero of confidence, St. Joseph received the greatest and most extraordinary mission that a man ever had on earth. He was the consort of the Virgin Mother, of she who would give birth to the God-Man and the Redeemer of the world. Here flourished the promise of virginity that was made to him. Everything was fulfilled beyond the unimaginable.
God created St. Joseph with sights on his sublime mission.
If Our Lady was immaculate due to her intimate connection with the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word, why would he not enjoy the same privilege? If in foresight of the merits of the Passion of the Son, the Mother of God was preserved from the stain of sin, can it not be said that also in view of Mary’s untarnished purity, Joseph was exempt from original sin and its consequences, and likewise filled with grace in proportion to his exalted vocation?
Msgr. João Clá Dias, St. Joseph: Who Knows Him? Chapter I, *unofficial translation
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