Saint Joseph – Faithful Protector, Provider, and Father

When God chose to enter the world through a human family, thereby sanctifying family life and the roles of mothers and fathers, He chose the good and holy man Joseph, son of the House of David, to foster His Son. Our Blessed Mother, the first tabernacle of the Lord, could not be entrusted to anyone who was not willing to accept God’s plan for his life at every turn. In his perfect and obedient faithfulness to the will of God Saint Joseph gives us a shining example of how to behave in difficult circumstances.

It is incredible to think that the Son of God entered the world as a small baby, needing the loving care and protection that any baby would need, as well as having Herod seeking to destroy him.

Joseph, ever obedient, heeded the message sent by God and left in the night taking nothing but mother and child, fleeing to safety. In Egypt, Joseph faced having to provide for the family in a foreign land with no resources to fall upon, except his complete trust in the providence of God.  Every account of Joseph in the Gospels reveals that he “takes the child and his mother and does what God commanded him (Matthew 1:24-25, 2:14-15 NRSV).  What beautiful trust.

“Joseph was the man chosen by God to guide the beginnings of the history of redemption. He was the true “miracle” by which God saves the child and his mother. God acted by trusting in Joseph’s creative courage.” Patris Corde, With a Father’s Heart – Apostolic Letter of the Holy Father Francis

This serves as a reminder of the crucial importance of fathers in the family.  God’s will included an earthly father for His Son; to guide him, to protect Him, and to provide for his earthly needs. This speaks to the need for every child to have a father to do these very things for them.

“Truly, I doubt not that the angels, wondering and adoring, came thronging in countless multitudes to that poor workshop to admire the humility of him who guarded that dear and divine child, and labored at his carpenter’s trade to support the son and the mother who were committed to his care.” Saint Francis De Sales

Dear Saint Joseph’s life did not follow that path that he thought it would. Those words “Son of David, do not be afraid!” (Matthew 1:20 NRSV) changed the course of his life and provided for our very salvation. It is a calling to all of us to not be afraid, particularly when the paths of our lives do not turn out as we would wish. We are all called to trust in God and to follow the example of Saint Joseph in his hidden and humble way.

“St. Joseph was an ordinary sort of man on whom God relied to do great things. He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do, in each and every event that went to make up his life.” Blessed Josemaria Escriva

Saint Joseph, pray for us!

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