“The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee called Nazareth, to a Virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; and the Virgin’s name was Mary” (Lk 1:26-27). In the account of the Annunciation, alongside the Blessed Virgin appears her husband, Joseph.
Given the greatness of his vocation in the protection, support, and care of Jesus and Our Blessed Mother, as head of the Holy Family, we may think that God endowed Saint Joseph with an extraordinarily proportionate grace to carry out such a noble mission.
If we fix our gaze on the life of any other saint, we will always find uncommon events. However, in Saint Joseph, nothing in particular stands out. His life was hidden in God. The setting of his life was what was ordinary, simple, and everyday. He lived faithfully and uprightly fulfilling the duty of each day. Do you know what Saint Joseph’s apostolate was? To love, to love greatly.
And thus he became worthy of many titles:
Saint Joseph, the spouse of Mary, the Vicar of God the Father in relation to Jesus.
Saint Joseph, the “just man” (Mt 1:19), who in laborious silence provides for the needs of the whole family.
Saint Joseph, in whom Tradition has seen the Patron and Protector of the Church, whom he accompanies and protects, defends from dangers, and sustains in struggles and sufferings.
Saint Joseph, incomparable model, after Jesus, of the sanctification of manual labor. The Church presents him as the sublime prototype of manual workers.
Saint Joseph, Defender of Life: We find him at the beginning beside the cradle of the Child God and in the flight into Egypt. And we find him at our bedside at the hour of death: Saint Joseph, Patron of a happy death.
Let us draw near with confidence to the Holy Patriarch, for in his hands is the Grace of every good: Jesus.
Countless things could be said about him, but let it be the Magisterium of the Popes, the teaching of the saints, and the devotion of the great devotees of Saint Joseph that show us and teach us the wonders of this Father and Guide of our souls.
