Saint Joseph, Faithful Protector
His whole being and endeavour was to help, to protect, to advise, and he still does so tirelessly today. – Suffering, trials, and patience lined his paths, and never did he question GOD’s plans. Falling into the arms of GOD was quite a matter of course for him. I am thinking of the flight to Egypt: following the Angel’s command, what is most necessary to take with you in a hurry … In his poverty, that was certainly not as difficult as it is today. – Joseph did not know the way, did not know where to go in Egypt, the great responsibility for the Child and His Mother – we must imagine that. His joy in everything was having the Infant JESUS with him, and Joseph watched the idol monuments collapse when the divine Child passed by. Joseph had much to suffer in these years in a foreign country amongst pagans, amongst a foreign people, unknown, without friends, who could have stood by him. Joseph missed his green homeland very much. His joy and readiness were great when he heard the Angel’s command to leave Egypt with his Family and return to his homeland. They had another very long, arduous, and dangerous journey ahead of them, which involved many deprivations, sacrifices, and lack of food, and also the Child became very tired. The Holy Family endured everything patiently and devotedly.
Let us also think of the pain of Mary and Joseph when they, a few years later, after leaving for Jerusalem, could no longer find JESUS. The sight of JESUS was … more