The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. (Lk 1:26b-27)

Meditation

St. Joseph, as you have all learned at home and at school, was a very holy man.  He had to be, because he was married to the Virgin Mary, the purest, the holiest, the most exalted of all God’s creatures.  More than that, the Eternal Father confided to the care of St. Joseph His own only-begotten Son, become man on earth, Jesus Christ.  Mary was the Mother of Jesus, the tenderest and most loving of all mothers; and though Joseph was not His father, he had for Him, by a special gift from heaven, all the natural love, all the affectionate solicitude that a father’s heart can know.  With Mary, his wife, he shared all the joys and sorrows, the plans and anxieties that come to a mother in bringing up her child sorrows, the plans and anxieties that come to a mother in bringing up her child.  Day after, at home and in the carpenter shop, his eyes rested on Jesus; he protected Him against the dangers of childhood; he guided His advancing years, and by hard work and with religious devotedness he provided for the increasing needs of the Mother and the Son. What a beautiful family life there was at Nazareth! You call it the Holy Family and rightly so.  In that small house you find Jesus, holy more than anyone can imagine, Who has come to help you and everybody become holy and pleasing to the Father.  There you find His Mother, your Blessed Mother; and, as you know, from the first breath she breathed and all during the days of her life her soul was simply one marvelous, indescribable thing of beauty, like a precious jewel whose every facet reflected clearly, unobstructed, the infinite holiness of God.  And then there was Joseph, modest, self-effacing, yet exercising authority over that family. How holy he must have been!  Under his fatherly protection and ceaseless, tireless, care the young Bow grew into manhood, Who later, on Calvary’s cross, dying, would restore life to man, and draw all men into oneness through grace with Himself.  With Him as their Head they should then form one big, big family scattered all over the world. (Pope Pius XII; Radio Message to Children of the United States; February 22, 1958)

Prayer

Saint Joseph, with you, for you,
we bless the Lord.
He chose you among all men
to be the chaste spouse of Mary,
the one who would remain at the threshold of the mystery
of her divine maternity,
and who, after her, would accept it in faith
as the work of the Holy Spirit.

You gave to Jesus legal paternity in the line of David.
You constantly watched over
the Mother and the Child with an affectionate concern,
in order to protect their lives
and to allow them to accomplish their destiny. 

The Savior Jesus deigned to submit himself to you, as to a father,
throughout his childhood and adolescence
and to receive from you an apprenticeship in human life,
while you shared his life in the adoration of his mystery. 

You remain at his side.
Continue to protect the whole church,
the family born of the salvation of Jesus.
See the spiritual and material needs
of all those who beg your intercession,
particularly families and those who are poor, in every sense;
through you, they are certain to find Mary’s maternal face
and the hand of Jesus to assist them.   Amen. (Pope St. John Paul II)

Matthew defines Joseph as a “righteous” man (zaddiq), a man who lives according to the Law of the Lord, and who draws inspiration from this in every occasion of his life. Thus, following the Word of God, Joseph acts thoughtfully: he does not let himself be overcome by instinctive feelings and fear of accepting Mary with him, but prefers to be guided by divine wisdom. He chooses to part with Mary quietly, privately (cf. Mt 1:19). And this is Joseph’s wisdom, which enables him not to make mistakes and to make himself open and docile to the voice of the Lord. In this way, Joseph of Nazareth brings to mind another Joseph, son of Jacob, dubbed the “lord of dreams” (cf Gen 37:19), greatly beloved by his father and much loathed by his brothers, whom the Lord raised up by having him sit in the Pharaoh’s court. Now, what does Joseph of Nazareth dream of? He dreams of the miracle that God fulfils in Mary’s life, and also the miracle that he works in his own life: to take on a fatherhood capable of guarding, protecting and passing on a material and spiritual inheritance. The womb of his bride is pregnant with God's promise, a promise that bears a name in which the certainty of salvation is given to all (cf. Acts 4:12). As he sleeps, Joseph hears these words: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus because he will save his people from their sins” (Mt 1:20-21). Faced with this revelation, Joseph does not ask for further proof; he trusts. Joseph trusts in God, he accepts the God’s dream of his life and that of his betrothed. He thus enters into the grace of one who knows how to live the divine promise with faith, hope and love. Joseph, in all of this, does not utter a word, but he believes, hopes and loves. He does not express himself with “idle words”, but with concrete deeds. He belongs to the lineage of those who, according to the apostle James, “put the Word into practice” (cf. James 1:22), translating it into deeds, flesh, life. Joseph trusts in God and obeys: “His inner watchfulness for God … leads quite spontaneously to obedience” (Benedict XVI, The Infancy Narratives, Milan-Vatican City 2012, 57). (Pope Francis; Audience; Jan 29, 2025)

Courageous Joseph, advised by an angel,
you confront your fears of the unknown.
Your light shines brightly, penetrating the dark corners of your being.
Your fears dispersed, you rediscover your true face,
and actively participate in the divine project.
Once you helped reunite a Mother with her Child;
just so reunite a people with their God.
Together with Mary and Jesus, you dwell in the heart of God.

Help us to rediscover the solid core of our identities,
beyond all internal fears.

Counsel us so we may build a better world
to welcome the coming kingdom.

Shed your light on our inner lives,
that, freed from the grip of our anxiety,
our decisions may be founded in Love.

May the face of God shine on us!  Amen. (Oratory of St. Joseph; Montreal)

Day 3. Guardian of the Redeemer

Scripture

Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant. While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Lk 2:1-7)

Meditation

The Gospels show how Joseph lived entirely for others and never for himself. The holy people of God invoke him as the most chaste spouse, based on his ability to love unreservedly. By freeing love from all possessiveness, he became open to an even more fruitful service. His loving care has spanned generations; his attentive guardianship has made him patron of the Church. For Saint Joseph, service – as a concrete expression of the gift of self – did not remain simply a high ideal, but became a rule for daily life. He strove to find and prepare a place where Jesus could be born; he did his utmost to protect him from Herod’s wrath by arranging a hasty journey into Egypt; he immediately returned to Jerusalem when Jesus was lost; he supported his family by his work, even in a foreign land. In short, he adapted to different circumstances with the attitude of those who do not grow discouraged when life does not turn out as they wished; he showed the willingness typical of those who live to serve. In this way, Joseph welcomed life’s frequent and often unexpected journeys: from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census, then to Egypt and again to Nazareth, and every year to Jerusalem. Each time he was willing to face new circumstances without complaining, ever ready to give a hand to help resolve situations. We could say that this was the outstretched hand of our heavenly Father reaching out to his Son on earth. Joseph cannot fail to be a model for all vocations, called to be the ever-active hands of the Father, outstretched to his children. How is such fidelity nurtured? In the light of God’s own faithfulness. The first words that Saint Joseph heard in a dream were an invitation not to be afraid, because God remains ever faithful to his promises: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid” (Mt 1:20). Do not be afraid: these words the Lord also addresses to you, dear sister, and to you, dear brother, whenever you feel that, even amid uncertainty and hesitation, you can no longer delay your desire to give your life to him. He repeats these words when, perhaps amid trials and misunderstandings, you seek to follow his will every day, wherever you find yourself. They are words you will hear anew, at every step of your vocation, as you return to your first love. They are a refrain accompanying all those who – like Saint Joseph – say yes to God with their lives, through their fidelity each day. (Pope Francis; Homily; March 19, 2001)

Prayer

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you, God entrusted his only Son;
In you, Mary placed her trust;
With you, Christ became man.

Blessed Joseph, to us, too,
show yourself a father
and guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage,
and defend us from every evil. Amen.  (Pope Francis; Patris corde)