By Gaudium Press, Wednesday, September 10, 2014
There are certain men throughout history, whose greatness surpasses any legend. These chosen people seem to be the object of a special predilection of God, who adorns their souls with the brightness of special virtues and rare gifts.
From all eternity, when the Incarnation of the Word was decided by the Holy Trinity, God the Father wished that the coming of his Son into the world be surrounded by a supreme pulchritude appropriate to God himself. Despite the aspects of poverty and humility which pleased Him, He wanted to be born of a Virgin conceived without original sin, adorned with the joys of motherhood and the brightness of virginity. Nevertheless it seemed indispensable to God that someone should take the role of a father for the Word of God made man. To him we could well apply the words spoken by Scripture about King David: “You sought a man after his heart.” This man was St. Joseph.
Just to have an idea of who was St. Joseph, we must consider that he was the husband of Mary and the foster father of the Infant Jesus. The husband must be in proportion to the wife. Now, who was Mary? She is by far the most perfect of all creatures, the masterpiece of the Most High. If we add the virtues of all the angels, all the saints and all the men until the end of the world we will not have even a faint idea of the sublime perfection of the Mother of God. The man chosen to be the spouse of that amazing creature should have a greater virtue than that of the ancient patriarchs. Behold the greatness of soul that the Spouse of the Mother of God should have!
His mission, as the foster father of the Infant Jesus, was to be the image of God the Father before God the Son! In the simplicity of everyday life, St. Joseph played the role of head of the Holy Family, exercising a real authority over the Son of God.
Who could answer Jesus’ questions? This grace was given only to Saint Joseph, humble and pure. Imagine the Infant Jesus standing before him and inquiring how to do this or that, and St. Joseph, mere creature, perfectly aware that is God himself who is asking, gives his advice! Consider St. Joseph as a model of strength and chastity; a man of unimaginable holiness in whom God brought together all the virtues of the saints, as a sun gathers all the rays of light. All glories surrounded this incomparable man. In the Old Testament there was another Joseph, son of Patriarch Jacob, who became the vizier to the Egyptian pharaoh. In time of famine, the Pharaoh commanded the Egyptians to have recourse to the wise Joseph saying: “Go to Joseph”! Likewise, we can hear the voice of God telling us during our difficulties: “Go to Joseph”! As Joseph was the vizier of Egypt, the most important authority of the kingdom after the Pharaoh, God made St. Joseph a viceroy of the Church, lord and head of his house, custodian and administrator of all his possessions.
Who can estimate the power of intercession of St. Joseph before his wife Mary and her Divine Son Jesus? His patronage and his power of intercession are, without a doubt, stronger than that of all the other saints. Saint Joseph can obtain anything from the Divine Redeemer. Certainly, Jesus, who was obedient to him during his earthly life, will remain obedient to him for all eternity …
Let us implore, always, his powerful intercession!
By Sister Cynthia Louback, EP
