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The Easter Cycle
virginal purity, be firmly grounded in humility, be inflamed with the love of God, and be a man
of perfect modesty. Mary knew that St. Joseph had been selected by the Holy Ghost to be her
husband and the faithful protector of her virginity. She knew that God had selected him to share
her love and solicitude for the divine child. Could she fail, then, to entertain for St. Joseph the
most pure and devoted love?
Joseph and Jesus. Joseph possessed a tender love for Christ. When he bore the divine child
in his arms and spoke to Him, must Christ not have made the most precious revelations to him
and filled his heart with unspeakable joy, as He did in later years? And to all this was added the
happiness of seeing and gazing upon Jesus. What a joy it must have been for St. Joseph to hear
the sweet name of “father” from the lips of Jesus! What exertions he must have undergone
during the flight to Egypt, on the return journey to Nazareth, during the pilgrimages up to the
temple in Jerusalem, in his arduous toil in his shop in Nazareth in order to provide for Jesus!
All this he did out of love for Him whom Mary, the bride of the Holy Ghost, had given him
for a child. Mary herself refers to this singular love of St. Joseph for the child when they found
Him teaching in the temple: “Son, why hast Thou done so to us? Behold, Thy father and I have
sought Thee sorrowing” (Lk 2:48).
To Joseph, who is closer to Jesus and Mary than any of the other saints in heaven, we
have been entrusted. He fulfills the same duties for Holy Mother the Church and for all of
us that he fulfilled for Jesus and Mary. He performs his duties with the same devotion and
love with which he served Jesus and Mary. “Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem [the Church],
because He hath strengthened the bolts of thy gates” through the intercession of St. Joseph
(Offertory).
For the liturgy, Holy Communion is the guarantee that we shall obtain the protection of St.
Joseph. “But Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called
Christ, alleluia” (Communion). In Holy Communion, He who was the most precious possession
of Joseph and Mary becomes ours also. By Holy Communion we are daily incorporated in a
more intimate union with Christ, who is our head. St. Joseph, seeing that we who are entrusted
to him form with Jesus one Christ, will perform for us the same functions which he performed
for Jesus. Must he not shower the same love and solicitude upon the Church and upon us
who are members of that Church? Such an interpretation the liturgy gives to our reception of
Holy Communion. By the daily reception of Holy Communion we are bound more closely
to the Church, and thus acquire a new and better claim to the protection and intercession of
the mighty St. Joseph.
Today we must renew our faith and confidence in St. Joseph and in the love he bears for
Christ and for us who are His members. We should endeavor to receive Holy Communion
worthily every day, and thus become more closely united to the Church, so as to share in the
protection of St. Joseph.
Prayer
O God, who in Thy ineffable providence hast willed to select the blessed Joseph as the spouse
of Thy holy mother, we beseech Thee that we who honor him as our protector on earth, may
deserve to have him for our intercessor in heaven. Who livest and reignest for all eternity. Amen.
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