March 22d — St. Joseph as Head of the Holy Family.

22d Day.— St. Joseph as Head of the Holy Family.

1.  The dignity of any office of authority is in proportion to the excellence of those over whom such authority is exercised.  What then must have been the dignity and perfection of St. Joseph!  To rule over the angels would be a small privilege compared with the privilege of ruling God Himself and His holy Mother.  What prudence, what discretion, what purity of intention, what perfect unselfishness, what intense love of God and of men must have been found in St. Joseph!  How humble he must have been, how thoughtful, how kind, how considerate, how wise, how faithful to God’s holy inspirations!  Next to Our Lady, it is impossible to suppose that any saint could approach the dignity of St. Joseph.

2.  Watch St. Joseph as a superior.  Notice how he gives his orders, firmly and decidedly, without hesitation, but yet kindly, and gently, and considerately.  St. Joseph had to command others besides Jesus and Mary.  To all he showed the same thoughtful, tender, watchful affection and respect.  Am I like St Joseph in dealing with those over whom I am placed?

3.  Our Lord obeyed St. Joseph with the most perfect, unquestioning obedience.  He, as man, was St. Joseph’s natural superior; He, in His sacred humanity, had authority over all creation.  He therefore, the Lord of all, raised St. Joseph to be lord over Him.  This exalts still more the position of St. Joseph, who derived his authority over Jesus from Our Lord’s own choice of him.  Thus Jesus teaches us the happiness of obedience.  To be subject is no degradation, but rather a privilege, since Jesus chose it.

 

 


This article, March 22d — St. Joseph as Head of the Holy Family. is a post from The Bellarmine Forum.
https://bellarmineforum.org/devotional/the-catholic-daily/march-month-st-joseph/march-22d-day-st-joseph-head-holy-family/
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