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The Easter Cycle
shall obtain the graces necessary for salvation and protection against our internal and external
enemies, and against the persecutors and oppressors of Holy Mother the Church. Thus God
honors him upon whom He has bestowed the prerogatives of a father.
Since he is the foster father of Jesus, St. Joseph possesses a singular power and authority
over his son even now in heaven. After Mary, his power of intercession is greater
than that of any other saint. Do we not all too often forget his power of intercession?
Would it not be well for us to acquire that faith and confidence in St. Joseph which the
liturgy teaches us and to go to him as it recommends? “Our salvation is in thy hands.
Only glance at us, and we will gladly serve the king” (Responsory at Matins). “Praise the
Lord, O Jerusalem,” the Church, the Christian soul; for He has appointed St. Joseph to be
thy protector. “He hath strengthened the bolts of thy gates; He hath blessed thy children
within thee” through the intercession of St. Joseph (Offertory).
Prayer
If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear. If a battle should
rise up against me, in this will I be confident. I shall praise Thee forever, for Thou art a mighty
protector. (Responsory at Matins.)
Friday
St. Joseph
The Gospel of the Mass concludes the account of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan with the
words: “And Jesus Himself was beginning about the age of thirty years, being (as it was supposed)
the son of Joseph.”
Jesus was thought to be the son of Joseph. Joseph was in a real sense the father of Jesus, and it
was just and proper that he should be called the father of Jesus. It is true that Jesus was conceived
by the power of the Holy Ghost, and Jesus had no real human father by natural generation.
Nevertheless, Joseph is the father of Jesus. On earth he takes the place of the heavenly Father,
by whom Christ was generated from all eternity. Joseph’s foremost claim to be the father of
Jesus rests on the fact that he is “the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called
Christ” (Mt 1:16). By virtue of his marriage to Mary, the child which Mary conceived by the
Holy Ghost and brought forth in a stable, belongs also to Joseph, her legitimate spouse. Because
He is Mary’s son, Jesus is also the son of Joseph and subject to his paternal care and authority.
Joseph knew that as the father of Jesus he was charged with the responsibility of providing for
Him. For this reason he shares the anxiety of Mary when Jesus remains behind them in the
temple, and he accompanies her back to the city to search for Him. “Son, why hast Thou done
so to us? Behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing. . . . And He went down with
them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them” (Lk 2:48, 51).
“And [He] was subject to them.” Jesus, the Son of God, subjects Himself to St. Joseph
as a child and a son. The Son of the omnipotent God obeys, as His legitimate father on
earth, St. Joseph, who is a mere creature. The liturgy of the day places great emphasis on
this truth. St. Joseph exercises paternal authority over the Son of God. Even in heaven
Jesus shows great deference to the wishes and petitions of St. Joseph, for these are also the
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