Feast of Saint Joseph

(from the writings of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop, and Doctor of the Church)

All virtues and perfections were then reflected absolutely in Saint Joseph, so that it almost seemed as if he were as perfect and possessed all virtues in as high a degree as the glorious Virgin Mary.
Certainly, Saint Joseph is most justly said to resemble the palm (tree), always constant, persevering, strong, and valiant. There is a great difference between these four virtues. We call a man constant when he remains firm, and prepared to suffer the assaults of the enemy, without surprise or loss of courage during the combat. Perseverance, however, has chiefly to do with a certain weariness of mind which comes upon us when we have suffered a long time, and this weariness is as powerful an enemy as we can meet with. Now, perseverance enables a man to disregard this enemy that he gains the victory over it by continual calmness and submission to the will of God. Strength makes a man vigorously resist the attacks of his enemies. And valor is a virtue which makes us not only hold ourselves in readiness to fight or to offer resistance when the occasion presents itself, but also to attack the enemy at the moment when he least expects it.
Now, our glorious Saint Joseph was endowed with all these virtues (constancy, perseverance, strength, valor) and practiced them marvelously well. As regards his constancy, did he not display it wonderfully when seeing Our Lady with child, and not knowing how that could be, his mind was tossed with distress, perplexity, and trouble? Yet, in spite of all, he never complained, he was never harsh or ungracious towards his holy Spouse, but remained just as gentle and respectful in his demeanor as he had ever been. But what valor and strength did he not display in the victory which he gained over the two greatest enemies of man, the devil and the world? And that by the practice of a most perfect humility, as we have said, throughout the whole course of his life. The devil, who for want of humility, and because he would not accept if for his inseparable companion, was driven out of heaven and cast down into hell, is so great an enemy to the lowly virtue, that there is no sacrifice or invention he will not use to make men fall away from it – so much the more because it is a virtue which renders them infinitely pleasing to God. We may therefore well say, “Valiant and strong in humility; he will be conqueror at once of the devil and of the world, which is full of ambition, vanity, and pride.”
With regard to perseverance against that interior enemy, the weariness or distress that comes over us from the continuation of abject, humiliating and painful things, of misfortunes if we must so speak, or from the various accidents that happen to us. Oh! how greatly was this Saint tried by God, and by men even in his journey. The Angel commands him to set out quickly, and to take our Lady and her most dear Son into Egypt; and behold, he sets out at once without saying a word. He does not inquire, “Where shall I go? What road shall I take? How shall we find food? Who will receive us?” He sets out probably with his tools on his back, in order to gain in the sweat of his brow his poor bread and that of his family. Oh! how much he must have felt that distress of which we are speaking, seeing that the Angel had not even told him how long he was to remain there! He could not establish himself in any permanent home, not knowing when the Angel might command him to return.
If Saint Paul so much admired the obedience of Abraham, in that when God had not told him which way he should go, Abraham did not ask, Lord, Thou tellest me to go out, but tell me then whether it is to be by the south or by the east gate but he set out immediately, and went as the Spirit of God conducted him; how admirable is this perfect obedience of Saint Joseph . The Angel did not tell him what time he was to remain in Egypt, and he did not inquire; he dwelt there for the space of five years, as most persons think, without inquiring about his return, being sure that He who had commanded him to go, would again command him when he had to return, and he was always ready to obey.
I leave you to imagine how much St. Joseph must have longed to return. The anxiety of not knowing when he should go away, must no doubt have greatly afflicted and tormented his poor heart; nevertheless he remained always the same, always sweet, tranquil, and persevering in his submission to the good pleasure of God, by which he let himself be entirely guided; for as he was just, his will was always submissive, united, and conformed to that of God. To be “just” is nothing else but to be perfectly united to the will of God, and to be conformed to it in all events prosperous or adverse.

(Sermon of Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church)

God, through the great love which He bears us, and the great desire which He has for our salvation, has added to the other means of salvation which He has offered us, that of devotion to the saints, whom, as being his friends, He wishes to intercede for us, and procure for us by their prayers those graces which we do not deserve ourselves. And this is not because the merits of Jesus Christ are not superabundantly sufficient to obtain every grace for us, but because He wishes to honor His faithful servants, by making them co-operators in the work of our salvation, and on the other hand to give us a greater assurance of obtaining graces by means of His saints. But who does not know that amongst all the saints, Saint Joseph is the most dear to God after the divine Mother, and most powerful to obtain graces from God for those who implore his intercession.
Hence, our discourse divides itself into two points. We shall consider in the first, how strongly the dignity of Saint Joseph should engage us to revere him; and in the second, how greatly we should confide in the protection of Saint Joseph, by reason of his sanctity.
Most assuredly we ought to honor Saint Joseph, since Jesus Christ Himself has honored him by calling him His father. “Christ,” says Origen, “paid to Saint Joseph the honor due to a father.” And he bore the name of father in the Gospel. “And His father and mother were wondering at these things which were spoken concerning Him.” (Saint Luke ii. 23). He is so styled by the divine Mother also: “Behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing.” (Saint Luke ii. 48). If then, the King of kings has raised him to such an honor, it is meet and just that we should honor him as much as in us lies. What angel, or what other saint has been thought worthy to be called the father of the Son of God? Hence, we may well apply to Saint Joseph the words of Saint Paul: “being made so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they.” (Hebrews i. 4). By this name of ‘father’, God has conferred more honor upon Saint Joseph than upon all the Patriarchs, and Prophets, and Apostles, and Bishops; these He calls His servants, Saint Joseph only did He style His father.
And now behold him as father, constituted head of that little Family, small in point of numbers, but great, by the reason of the two great Persons it contained, namely, the Mother of God, and the only Son of God, made man: “He made him master of his house.” (Psalm 104, 21). In the house of that Blessed Family, he was lord, and the Son of God was obedient to him; “and He was subject to them” (Saint Luke ii. 25). “This subjection,” says Jerson, “denotes at once the great humility of Christ, and the great dignity of Saint Joseph. And what greater dignity can there be than to command Him Who has it written upon His thigh, that He is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords?”
Josue astonished the world when he commanded the sun to stop, that he might have time to defeat his enemies, and was obeyed by him. “The Lord obeying the voice of a man.” (Josue x. 14). But what comparison can there be between the obedience of the sun (which is an inanimate creature,) to Josue, and the obedience of Jesus Christ, Who is the Son of God, to Saint Joseph? Jesus Christ, as long as Saint Joseph lived, respected and obeyed him as a father; His obedience lasted for thirty years. “He was subject to them” so that during so many years the Savior was occupied solely in obeying Saint Joseph. To Saint Joseph, during all that time, fell the office of ordering all things as head of the Holy Family; and the part of Jesus was to obey, as being subject to Saint Joseph, whom God placed over Him with the authority of father. Hence, Jesus did nothing, never moved a step, or tasted food, or went to rest, but according to the directions of Joseph; and was, on the other hand, all attention and obedience to his commands. The Lord revealed this to Saint Bridget in the following words: “My Son was so obedient, that when Joseph said, do this, or that, He at once did it.” (Lib. 6. Revel, cap. 58). Hence, Jerson writes, “He (Jesus) often prepares their meals, cleanses the vessels, or draws water at the fountain.” Saint Bernard, speaking of Saint Joseph, calls him “The faithful and prudent servant whom the Lord appointed the comfort of His Mother, the foster-father of His humanity, and His chief earthly coadjutor in His great design.” Not only then was Joseph destined to be the consolation of the Mother of God in her many tribulations, and the nursing father of Jesus, but in a certain sense to co-operate with Him in the Redemption of the world, which was the design occupying the councils of the Three Divine Persons. God having given him the place of father over His Son, entrusted to him the care of His support and defense: “Take the child,” as if He were to say to him in the words of the psalmist, “to thee is the poor man left.” (Psalm x. 14). Joseph, I have committed to your charge My Son upon this earth; I have given Him to you – poor, humble, without riches, without splendor, or apparent greatness, he is called the Son of a carpenter (“Is not this the carpenter’s Son?” — Saint Matthew xiii. 55.) from your humble calling; because I have wished you to be poor as holding the place of father towards My Son, Who is poor, and Who has come into the world, not to rule there, but to suffer and to die for man’s salvation. You then shall be His guardian, and His father in My place; “to thee is the poor man left.” I resign Him into your hands; He shall be persecuted, and you shall share His persecution; take care of Him, be faithful to Me. “And therefore,” says Saint John Damascene, “did He give to Saint Joseph the love, the vigilance, and the authority of a father.” He gave to him the affection of a father, in order that he might guard Him with the tenderest love, and the vigilance of a father, that he might guard Him with all watchfulness, and the authority of a father to secure him obedience in all the arrangements he should make for our Lord.
Having, as Saint Bernard says, made him a cooperator in the work of our redemption, He wishes him to be present at the Birth of our Lord, in order that he might be the faithful witness of the glory which the angels gave to God at the Birth of His Son, as had been revealed to the shepherds, who disclosed it to Mary and Joseph when they came to visit the Savior Who had been announced to them; he was moreover witness of the visit of the Magi, who, led by the star, came from the east to adore the heavenly Infant, as they themselves declared; “for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to adore Him.” (Saint Matthew ii. 2). God wished that Saint Joseph should, jointly with Mary, present to Him the Child; “they carried Him to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord.” (Saint Luke ii. 22). Yielding Him up to death for the salvation of the world, according to the Scriptures, the predictions contained in which, relative to the Passion of Jesus Christ, were always, known to Joseph and Mary.
Next, the Lord seeing that Herod, through fear of losing his kingdom, sought to take the life of the Divine Infant, commanded Saint Joseph by an angel, to take the Child and His Mother, and fly into Egypt. “Arise, and take the child and His Mother, and fly into Egypt, and be there until I shall tell you, for it will come to pass that Herod will seek the Child to destroy Him.” (Saint Matthew ii. 13). Behold, Saint Joseph in obedience to the voice of God, on that very night (for so the commentators will have it,) takes the Child and His Mother, and sets off for Egypt. Saint Joseph, without loss of time, gathers up what implements of trade he can bring along with him, on which his poor Family depends for support; Mary, on the other hand, takes her Infant, with His scanty clothes, and both set off without servant or companion, unprovided pilgrims, to cross the many dreary deserts which lay between them and Egypt, where they had neither friend nor relative, and had to meet a barbarous and unknown race of people. Saint Joseph upon his arrival, labored night and day, as Saint Bernard says, for the support of his holy spouse and the Divine Infant. After a time, he leaves Egypt in obedience to the new command received from the angel, who says to him, “arise, and take the Child and His Mother, and go unto the land of Israel.” (Matthew ii. 20). Upon leaving Egypt, he directs his steps towards Judea, but being again warned by the angel not to live there, as Archelaiis the son of Herod reigned then in his father’s room, he withdrew to Nazareth in Galilee, where he dwelt till his death, in the company of his beloved Jesus, continuing to earn a poor subsistence by his humble trade.
It happened after some time, that going with Mary and Jesus then twelve years old, to visit the Temple, he found upon his return when he met Mary, that Jesus Whom he believed to be with her had been missing for three days, he did nothing else than weep, not having near him Jesus Who was the love of his heart; but what afflicted him most, was the fear that Jesus had left him on account of some offence which he had received from Him, and which he thought had rendered him unworthy of being any longer the guardian of such a treasure, as Laspergio writes. But he was consoled by hearing from Jesus Himself, that He remained in the Temple about His Father’s business. Saint Joseph continued thenceforward, to govern our Lord until his death, which he had the happiness of meeting between Jesus and Mary, who assisted him at that moment; whence Saint Francis de Sales says, we may hold for certain that Joseph died of love, as did Mary his spouse.
We ought to confide greatly in the protection of Saint Joseph, for his sanctity makes him very dear to God. In order to conceive the sanctity of Saint Joseph, we have only to remember that he was chosen by God to fill the place of father towards Jesus Christ. Saint Paul has those words, “who hath also made us fit ministers of the New Testament.” (Cor. iii. 6). Which implies, as Saint Thomas explains it, that when God chooses any person for an office, He gives all the graces necessary for the discharge of his duty therein. God then having intended Joseph to fill the place of father over the Incarnate Word, was most assuredly bound to endow him with all the wisdom and holiness necessary for such an office. Nor should we doubt of His having enriched him with all the graces and privileges granted to the other saints; Gerson and Suarez say, that Saint Joseph had three special privileges, first, that of having been sanctified in his mother’s womb, like Jeremias and John the Baptist; secondly, of having been confirmed in grace, and thirdly, of never having felt the motions of concupiscence, a privilege which Saint Joseph, by the merits of his purity, is entitled to share with his clients, by freeing them from these same motions.
Saint Joseph in the Gospel is called ‘just’, “Joseph her husband being a just man.” (Saint Matthew i. 19). What is the meaning of a just man? It means, says Saint Peter Chrysologus, a perfect man, a man who possesses every virtue. Saint Joseph was holy before his marriage, but still more so after his union with the divine Mother; the bare example of his holy spouse would have been sufficient to sanctify him. But if Mary, as Saint Bernardine of Sienna says, is the Dispensatrix of all the graces which God bestows on man, how profusely must she not have enriched her spouse with them, whom she so much loved, and who loved her so well. How immensely must not the sanctity of Saint Joseph have been increased by the conversation and familiarity of Jesus during the many years they lived together. If the two disciples who were going to Emmaus, found themselves influenced with love, in the few moments during which the Savior walked and conversed with them, so as to say, “was not our heart burning within us whilst he spoke in the way” (Saint Luke xxiv. 32). What a fire of holy charity must we not believe to have been enkindled in the heart of Joseph by thirty years conversation with Jesus Christ, by hearing constantly from Him the word of life, by observing His perfect humility, patience and obedience, by seeing Him so ready to assist him in his labors in everything which required to be done about the house? What a conflagration of divine love must not those torches of charity have spread in the breast of Joseph, a breast which was free from every earthly affection. It is true that he had a great love for his spouse Mary; but his was not a divided love, although, as the Apostle says, the heart of the husband is usually divided. “But he that has a wife is solicitous for the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided.” (1 Cor. vii. 33). No, the love which he felt for his spouse, filled him still more with divine love, and therefore, we cannot doubt that Saint Joseph whilst he lived with Jesus Christ, increased so much in sanctity and merits, that we may say he excels all the other saints.
The Apostle writes that Jesus Christ, in the other world, “will render to every man according to his works.” (Romans ii. 6). With what glory, think you, must He not have adorned Joseph, who so faithfully loved and served Him on this earth? On the last day, the Savior will say to His elect, “For I was hungry, and you gave Me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in; naked, and you covered Me.” (Saint Matthew xxv. 35). Those have fed, and lodged, and clothed Jesus Christ, in the person of the poor; but Saint Joseph procured food, and raiment, and lodging, for Jesus Christ in Person. Moreover, the Lord has promised a reward to whosoever gives a poor man a drop of cold water in His Name. “For whosoever shall give you to drink a cup of water in My Name amen, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” (Saint Mark ix. 40). Who can tell what ought to be the reward of Joseph — of him, who can say to Jesus Christ, Lord, I have not only furnished Thee with food and raiment, and lodging, but have even saved Thee from death, by rescuing Thee from the sword of Herod? All this should serve to increase our confidence in Saint Joseph, by bringing us to the conclusion, that on account of all these merits, God cannot deny him any favor which he solicits for his clients.
Saint Bernardine of Sienna says, “We may be assured that the same filial reverence and respectful familiarity with which Jesus Christ treated Saint Joseph while on this earth, He not only does not deny him in Heaven, but has rather increased towards him.” That Lord who on the earth reverenced Saint Joseph as father, certainly denies him nothing in Heaven. Besides this, although Saint Joseph had no authority over the humanity of Jesus Christ, as natural father, yet he had it in a certain degree, as husband of Mary, who, as natural Mother of the Savior, had true authority over Him, for he who has a right to the tree, has a right also to the fruit. On this account Jesus Christ respected Joseph on the earth, and looked upon him as His superior. And on the very same account, his prayers are looked upon by Jesus as commands.
Let us hear what Saint Bernard says of the power which Joseph has of his dispensing graces to his clients: “To some saints,” he says, “it is given to protect us upon certain occasions, but to Saint Joseph it is allowed to help us in every necessity, and to defend all who fly to him.” And what Saint Bernard writes as his belief, Saint Teresa of Avila confirms by her experience. “It appears,” she says, “that to the other saints it is given to succor us in some one necessity; but we know from experience, that Saint Joseph can succor us in every need.” Let us rest assured of this, that as Jesus Christ on earth was subject to Joseph upon the earth, He is subject to him still in heaven, in this sense, that He grants his every request. Let us then imagine we hear the Lord addressing to each of us the words which Pharaoh spoke to the people during the time of the famine in Egypt: “Go to Joseph.” (Genesis xli. 55). Go to Joseph, if you desire to be consoled. By the mercy of the Lord, there are few Catholics at present, who are not, to some extent, devout to Saint Joseph; but those do assuredly receive most graces who have recourse to him most frequently, and with greatest confidence.
Wherefore let us not fail to recommend ourselves every day and night to Saint Joseph, who, next to divine Mary, is most powerful with God. Let us not fail to address to him, each day, some special prayer; and let us increase our prayers during his novena, and let us fast upon the eve of his Feast-day, and beg favors of him; all of which he will obtain for us, provided they be useful to our souls. I exhort you to apply to him more especially for the three following graces, namely, pardon of your sins, love of Jesus Christ, and a good death. With regard to the pardon of your sins, look at the matter thus: if, while Jesus lived on earth with Joseph, a sinner wanted to obtain pardon of his sins, could he do better to insure a pardon than apply to Saint Joseph? If, then, we wish to obtain pardon, let us apply to Saint Joseph, who is now more beloved of Jesus Christ than he was on earth. Let us, moreover, beg Saint Joseph to procure for us the love of Jesus Christ; and I, for my part, hold, that tender love for the Word Incarnate is a grace, the obtaining of which for us, belongs most specially to Saint Joseph, by reason of the tender love which the Saint bore towards Him in this world. Lastly, let us beg of him to procure us the grace of a happy death; it is known to all that Saint Joseph is the protector of the death-bed, because he had the happiness of dying between Jesus and Mary. Whence his clients ought to hope that at their death they shall see Jesus and Joseph coming to assist them. Of this there are many examples.
Moverio tells that in the year 1541, brother Alessio of Vigevand, a Capuchin lay brother being about to die, begged of the brethren to light some candles. They asked him why? He said that he expected a visit from Saint Joseph and Most Holy Mary in a few moments; scarcely had he so spoken when he exclaimed, behold Saint Joseph and the Queen of Heaven; kneel brethren, to receive them, and having said this he tranquilly expired, on the nineteenth of March, the very day consecrated to Saint Joseph.
It is related by Father Patrignam (and he takes the account from Saint Vincent Ferrer and other authors,) that a certain merchant in the city of Valenza, was in the habit of inviting every year upon his birthday, an old man and a woman with, a child at her breast to his table, in honor of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. This devout man appeared after his death, to a person who was praying for him, and told him that he had been met in his passage by Jesus, Mary and Joseph, who said to him, you were in the habit of receiving us every year into your house, in the person of those poor people whom you brought to your table, we are now come to receive you into our house, and having so spoken they led him to Paradise.
It is related also in the “Leggendario Francescano,” that the venerable Sister Prudentsiana, who was very devout to Saint Joseph, had the happiness of seeing the Saint approach her death bed with Jesus in his arms, she would now speak to Saint Joseph, now to Jesus, and in this heavenly company she breathed out her soul.
In the history of the discalced Carmelites, it is related of Sister Anna di Sant Agostino, that when she was dying, some of the religious saw her assisted by Saint Joseph and Saint Teresa of Avila, and transported with joy; another religious, belonging to another convent saw her ascending to heaven between Saint Teresa and Saint Joseph. A religious of the order of Saint Austin, as we learn from Father John de Allora, in his book upon Saint Joseph, appeared to a companion of his, and told him that he had been saved from hell by means of a particular devotion to Saint Joseph, and then mentioned that the Saint, as reputed father of our Lord, was all powerful with Him.
Saint Joseph, pray for us. Amen.