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DAY 16: What does it mean to call St. Joseph a “just man”? As spiritual sons and daughters of St. Joseph, we are called to be like him. 

DAY 16: Joseph Most Just, Pray for Us

He [St. Joseph] won for himself the title of “The Just Man,” and thus serves as a living model of that Christian justice which should reign in social life. — Pope Pius XI

What does it mean to call St. Joseph a just man? Saint Josemaría Escrivá provides a great answer for us. He states:

Saint Joseph was an ordinary sort of man on whom God relied to do great things. He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do, in each and every event that went to make up his life. That is why Scripture praises Joseph as “a just man.” In Hebrew a just man means a good and faithful servant of God, someone who fulfils the divine will (cf. Gen 7:1; 18:23-32; Ezek 18:5ff; Prov 12:10), or who is honorable and charitable toward his neighbor (cf. Tob 7:6; 9:6). So a just man is someone who loves God and proves his love by keeping God’s commandments and directing his whole life towards the service of his brothers, his fellow men.

What about you? Are you just? Do you love God, keep his com-mandments, and act with honor and charity toward your neighbor?

Saint Joseph will inCrease in you the virtue of Justice. Theologians define the virtue of justice as “giving to another his due.” For example, in our relationship with God, we owe it to him to be grateful for our existence, and to praise him for his goodness. We act justly toward God, giving him his due, when we worship him, especially by our participation in Holy Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. If we fail to do this, we are not loving God. We are not acting justly toward God; we are not giving him his due.

For St. Joseph, being a just man meant he observed the dictates of the Jewish religion. This required him to travel to Jerusalem three times a year — a long distance from Nazareth — and participate in various rituals and ceremonies. You, on the other hand, most likely live a short distance from a Catholic church. If you can’t spend one hour a week thanking God and worshipping him, you are not loving God or giving God his due. You are not a just man.

Holy Mass is not about the priest, the people, or the choir. It’s about returning love for love and giving God his due. Yes, priests should preach well, liturgical music should be sacred and inspiring, and it’s always pleasant to see familiar faces at Mass. Yet even if you find the priest less than edifying, the music a distraction, and the congregation spiritually dead, you need to remember it’s not about them — it’s about you acting justly and lovingly toward God. There is no greater way to tell God “I love you,” give thanks to God, and worship him than through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving.”

God is not the only one that we are to act justly towards out of love. You also need to give others their due. Do you? Do you love, venerate, and honor Mary, your spiritual mother? Do you love, venerate, and honor St. Joseph, your spiritual father? Do you treat members of your family with love, respect, and dignity? What about your neighbors, co-workers, and everyone else with whom you daily interact? If you are an employer, do you offer a just wage? Remember the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Lk 6:31). Your spiritual father acted justly and lovingly toward everyone; you should, too.

Do you wish to know why Joseph is called just? Because he possessed perfectly all the virtues.— St. Maximus of Turin

The Gospel describes St. Joseph as a Just Man. No greater praise of virtue and no higher tribute to merit could be applied to a man. — St. Pope Paul VI

Just and Reverent Man

To be just is to be perfectly united to the Divine Will, and to be always conformed to it in all sorts of events, whether prosperous or adverse. That St. Joseph was this, no one can doubt. — St. Francis de Sales

To exercise the virtue of justice, as St. Francis de Sales rightly notes, a person needs to live in perfect accord with the Divine Will and, in the face of all sorts of events, whether advantageous or adverse, give God and others their due. The Church has always understood St. Joseph to be a just and holy man, loving God and neighbor as he ought, but it hasn’t always understood the deeper theological signif-icance of what those words actually mean, especially when applied to the actions of St. Joseph in the New Testament. It has taken the Church centuries to advance a theology of St. Joseph that shows his greatness and his holiness.

Today, the Church teaches that St. Joseph is the holiest human person after Mary and the “Most Just” of all the saints. He is our spiritual father, the Pillar of Families, the Glory of Domestic Life, the Patron of the Universal Church, and the Terror of Demons. For this reason, certain passages in the New Testament that present the actions of St. Joseph need to be reexamined in light of what is now unequivocally taught by the Church to be true about St. Joseph — namely, that St. Joseph, as he confronted all sorts of events, whether advantageous or adverse, always acted in accord with the Divine Will and gave God and others their due. He truly lived the love of God and neighbor that his Son would later teach.

What did he [St. Joseph] actually do? He loved. This is all he did, and it was sufficient for his glory. He loved God without limit and without lessening. This was his significance; this was his life here below. For this, he has been loved immeasurably. Behold his glory for eternity! Go to him without hesitation. He is all-powerful in heaven. As for his goodness, you cannot doubt it when you think that he spent his life in the intimacy of the hearts of Jesus and Mary — the most loving and most kindly hearts there ever were. — Blessed Jean Joseph Lataste

One of the most important actions of St. Joseph in the New Testament is his response to discovering that his wife was pregnant. It is within the biblical recounting of this story that St. Joseph is called a just man.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife. — Mt 1:18-24

The translation provided is from the RSVCE (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition). I offer the RSVCE translation because it does not state that St. Joseph desired to “divorce” his wife. Did you know that the Catholic Church has always allowed for multiple inter-pretations of Matthew 1:18-24? In particular, the Church allows for an interpretation that does not state that St. Joseph desired to divorce his wife. From the first centuries of Church history, there have been three theories posited about St. Joseph’s plan of action when he discovered that his wife was pregnant. All three of the theories have been held by various saints and scholars, and all three theories originate in the early Church. The three theories are:

1)    The Suspicion Theory. Saint Joseph suspects Mary of adultery, and as a result, he decides to obtain a divorce. According to Jewish law, if a just man wants to divorce his wife because she has been unfaithful, he is required to stone her. Saint Joseph, being a just man, does not want to stone Mary, so he seeks to divorce her quietly. This theory was promoted in the apocryphal literature and held by several Fathers of the Church.

2)    The Stupefaction Theory. Saint Joseph is perplexed and stu-pefied by Mary’s pregnancy, but he does not doubt Mary’s innocence. He is dumbfounded and doesn’t know what to do. Confused, he decides to divorce Mary. Some Fathers of the Church adhere to this theory and greatly promote it. It becomes the most common theory and is known as “Joseph’s Doubt.”

3)    The Reverence Theory. Saint Joseph discovers that Mary is pregnant, but he does not doubt her purity and innocence. Instead, he doubts his worthiness and ability to take care of Mary and the child. A just man, he knows that Mary belongs to God and he considers himself unworthy of living with Mary. He decides to separate himself from her quietly out of justice to God and reverence for Mary. He is willing to leave the picture so as not to reveal her mystery. Some Fathers of the Church, as well as many medieval saints, theologians, and mystics promote this theory.

Why does the Church allow for three theories on this important topic? Well, it all hinges on the translation of the Greek word apoluo. Biblical scholars all agree that the word apoluo is a very difficult word to translate. In Greek, apoluo can have multiple meanings, and the meaning chosen for a particular passage is usually determined by the context in which it appears. For example, according to the context, apoluo can mean “separate,” “conceal,” “hide,” “distance oneself from,” or “divorce.” Interestingly, the majority of those who have translated the New Testament from Greek into other languages have chosen to translate apoluo as “divorce.” However, now that the Church has a much greater understanding of the holiness of St. Joseph, especially as regards his privileges, virtues, and wonders, is this translation correct? In light of what we hold to be true of St. Joseph, can we really say that St. Joseph intended to divorce his beloved wife? The Church has come a long way in her understanding of St. Joseph, and in the opinion of many, the idea that he wanted to divorce Mary needs to be reexamined.

Now, to be fair, those throughout history who have translated apoluo as divorce did not do so out of bad intent or malice. Remem-ber: Divorce is often a valid translation of the word according to the context of a particular passage. However, the only reason the word divorce was used in Matthew 1:14-25 is because the Church did not yet possess a developed theology of St. Joseph. Unfortunately, the effect of translating apoluo as divorce set in motion a centuries-long minimization of the importance of St. Joseph in the life of the Church. In fact, Matthew 1:18-24 is often described as “Joseph’s Doubt” instead of the more noble description “St. Joseph’s Annunciation.” It’s easy to understand, then, why St. Joseph hasn’t been loved as much as he deserves, and has been so little honored, revered, and imitated throughout history.

“What’s the big deal?” you ask. Well, there’s a big difference between St. Joseph desiring to divorce his wife versus desiring to distance himself from her out of a sense of justice and reverence. The latter explanation of what he intended to do is what has caused many an erudite scholar to opt for a translation of apoluo that does not mean divorce. Today, in light of what the Church now clearly discerns to be true about St. Joseph, maintaining the position that St. Joseph desired to divorce his wife is very hard to reconcile with St. Joseph’s virtues. After all, the idea that St. Joseph intended to divorce his wife places the very foundation of the new covenant of Jesus Christ on shaky ground! Divorcing Mary would have been an extremely unjust thing for St. Joseph to do. Mary was innocent and had done nothing wrong. How can the man the Church invokes as the “Pillar of Families” and the “Glory of Domestic Life” be the same man who desired to divorce the pure, innocent, immaculate Mother of God? It doesn’t make sense.

Does this mean that for 2,000 years the Church was wrong about a very important aspect of Divine Revelation? No, it doesn’t mean that at all. Remember, since the time that the New Testament was written, the Church has allowed for various translations of apoluo in the Gospel of Matthew. What it does mean, however, is that in light of the Church’s development of a theology of St. Joseph, the Church needs to reexamine the issue and present a more theologically accurate interpretation of Matthew 1:18-24, an interpretation that has been there from the beginning.

What is it, then, that the Church now understands to be true about St. Joseph that is causing scholars and theologians to shy away from translating apoluo as divorce? Why are many scholars preferring to describe St. Joseph’s intended plan of action as “distancing himself” from Mary? Well, the Church’s recognition of the extraordinary obedience, justice, reverence, and humility of St. Joseph has provided the true context for how to correctly translate the word apoluo in Matthew’s Gospel. In essence, understanding the extraordinary holiness of St. Joseph provides the correct interpretation of what St. Joseph intended to do. Saint Joseph’s supernatural faith informed him that Mary had conceived by the Holy Spirit, and he was afraid of the mystery taking place inside her. He didn’t want to divorce Mary. He believed he owed it to God, the originator of the mystery taking place inside her womb, to distance himself from her and the Child until a further revelation was given. The fact that the Church allows for this interpretation, and that many of the Fathers of the Church, medieval theologians, saints, and mystics have already interpreted the passage in this way, is what is causing many scholars to adhere to the Reverence Theory.

For example, Fr. René Laurentin, universally acclaimed as the greatest Mariologist of the 20th century, conducted thorough studies on Matthew 1:18-24 and concluded that it is theologically prob-lematic to hold the position that St. Joseph desired to divorce his beloved wife. How could a truly just man have desired to divorce his innocent wife? Divorcing Mary would not have been a just act; it would have been an extremely unjust act! Father John McHugh, one of the most learned biblical scholars of the 20th century, reached the same conclusion, as has Fr. John Saward, a convert from Anglicanism and a scholar of the highest caliber.

Another such scholar is Fr. Ignace de la Potterie, SJ. Widely respected as a fine theologian and biblical scholar, Fr. de la Potterie conducted extensive studies on Matthew 1:18-24 and was so convinced of the truth of the Reverence Theory that he offered his own translation of the passage. His translation is an eyeopener! It elucidates St. Joseph’s selfless and heroic exercise of the virtue of justice, as well as St. Joseph’s profound reverential love for Mary and the Child in her womb. Father de la Potterie’s translation reads:

Concerning Jesus as Messiah, the origin took place in the fol-lowing manner: His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they had led a life in common she was found bearing (a child) in her womb, by the work of the Holy Spirit. But Joseph her spouse who was a just man, and who was unwilling to unveil (her mystery), resolved to secretly separate himself from her. But as he had designed this plan, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said to him: “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your spouse into your home; for certainly that which has been begotten in her comes from the Holy Spirit, but she will bear a son (for you) and you will give him the name of Jesus. For it is he who will save his people from their sins.” Now all this happened that what had been said by the Lord through the mouth of a prophet would be accomplished: “Behold: the virgin will bear in her womb and bring forth a son and they will give him the name of Emmanuel,” which signifies in translation: “God-with-us.” Now when Joseph was awakened from his sleep it happened as the angel of the Lord had pre-scribed and he took his spouse into his home.

What a translation! It reads somewhat oddly in places because it is a very literal translation, but it is by far the best translation of the passage available. His translation recognizes the supernatural virtues of St. Joseph as the context demanding a more noble interpretation of the passage. Imagine if this translation had been placed in Bibles, preached in sermons, and included in liturgies over the centuries. Without a doubt, the faithful would have possessed a much more theologically accurate — and spiritually edifying — understanding of the blessed person of St. Joseph.

Again, those over the centuries who translated apoluo as divorce did not have bad intent. They simply lacked a true understanding of the supernatural greatness of St. Joseph because a theology of St. Joseph had not yet been developed. We can’t change history, but now that the Church has begun to truly understand the greatness of St. Joseph, we can give direction for the future. Our understanding of St. Joseph’s perfect, loving union with the will of God, as well as his justice and reverence, should exclude any interpretation that states that he desired to divorce his wife. Such an interpretation is theologically untenable because of what we now know to be true about St. Joseph.

Let’s examine why this is the case.

The theological definition of the virtue of justice is that it dis-poses a person to always give God and others their due. In all sorts of events, whether advantageous or adverse, St. Joseph always did the will of God and perfectly exercised the virtue of justice. Thus, it is theologically impossible to hold that St. Joseph would have resolved to do something God hates.

For I hate divorce, says the Lord, the God of Israel, and the one who covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. You should be on your guard, then, for your life, and you must not break faith. — Mal 2:16

(Now, for anyone reading this who has had a divorce, don’t panic. God hates divorce, not you. It is true that the Catholic Church, following the teaching of Jesus Christ himself, says that divorce is impossible in the case of valid sacramental marriages [see Mk 10:2-12], and only tolerates civil divorce in extreme instances [see Mt 19:3-12; 1 Cor 7:10-16]. A Catholic annulment is not the same thing as a divorce. An annulment states that a true marriage never existed; a divorce, on the other hand, would dissolve a true marriage bond. The Church allows for the legal separation of validly married spouses [which is neither an annulment nor an attempt at divorce], as long as the separated spouses do not attempt to sever the marriage bond. To repeat: God doesn’t hate you if you have had a civil divorce; he hates the divorce. It also needs to be noted that not everyone who desires or gets a civil divorce is committing a sin or a moral offense against God. The reason is because there can be unique circumstances in each particular case. Now, back to St. Joseph’s marriage.)

Saint Joseph was undergoing a test. Saint Joseph’s virtue and cooperation with grace needed to be put to the test because God intended to make St. Joseph a new Abraham, a spiritual father to a new covenant people. If St. Joseph passed the test by a loving willing-ness to sacrifice himself completely, God would bless him in a manner greater than he had blessed any other man who has ever lived.

Needless to say, St. Joseph passed the test! Many of the Fathers of the Church beautifully describe for us how St. Joseph passed the test through his supernatural justice and reverence.

Joseph was just, and the Virgin was immaculate: but when he wished to put her away, this happened from the fact that he rec-ognized in her the power of a miracle and a vast mystery which he held himself unworthy to approach. Humbling himself there-fore before so great and ineffable a phenomenon, he sought to retire, just as St. Peter humbled himself before the Lord and said, “Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man,” and as the ruler confessed who sent word to the Lord, “I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof, for I have considered myself not even worthy to come to thee,” or as St. Elizabeth said to the Most Blessed Virgin, “And how have I deserved that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” In like manner did the just man Joseph humble himself and fear to enter into a union with such exalted holiness. — Origen 

Joseph discovered both Mary’s pregnancy and its cause, namely, that it was of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, he feared to be called the husband of such a wife, and wished to put her away privately since he did not dare to reveal what had taken place in her. Yet because he was just, he desired a revelation of the mystery. — St. Basil the Great

But he thought especially of sending her away so as not to commit a sin in allowing himself to be called father of the Savior. He feared to live with her lest he dishonor the name of the virgin’s son. That is why the angel said to him, “Do not fear to take Mary to your home.” —  St. Ephrem the Syrian

O inestimable tribute to Mary! Joseph believed in her chastity more than in her womb, in grace more than in nature! He plainly saw the conception, and he was incapable of suspecting forni-cation. He believed that it was more possible for a woman to conceive without a man than for Mary to be able to sin. —    St. John Chrysostom

Saint Romanus the Melodist, a poet from the sixth century, wrote a beautiful poem that depicts St. Joseph’s fear and reverence for Mary’s mysterious pregnancy:

Then Joseph, who never knew the Virgin, stopped,
stunned by her glory,
and, gazing on the brilliance of her form, said:
“O shining one, I see that a flame and hot coals encircle you.
t frightens me, Mary. Protect me, do not consume me!
Your spotless womb has suddenly become a fiery furnace.
Let it not melt me, I beg you. Spare me.
Do you wish me, like Moses of old, to take off my shoes,
that I may draw nigh and listen to you, and taught by you say:
Hail, Bride unbridled!”

Saint Joseph’s love, faith, humility, justice, and reverence are so great that at no time did he suspect Mary of being unfaithful. Mary was pure and innocent, and he knew it. Nor did he consider it a possibility that another man had forced himself upon his wife. He was absolutely positive that Mary belonged to God, and God would take care of her. He trusted God and he trusted Mary. To divorce Mary would have been to abandon her and throw away his God-given marriage. For this reason, St. Joseph desired to distance himself from Mary, knowing that God, who had brought about the Child in her womb, would take care of her and the Child.

Saint Joseph loved Mary immensely, and it would have been torturous for him to contemplate distancing himself from her, but he loved God first. His immediate resolve was to give God what Joseph believed was God’s due, that is, to distance himself from Mary since she belonged to God. Out of justice and reverence, he was willing to step out of the picture completely. These are the actions of St. Joseph that moved the heart of God, solidified St. Joseph’s marriage, and made him our father in faith.

Why did he [St. Joseph] wish to leave her [Mary]? Listen, now, no longer to my opinion, but to that of the Fathers [of the Church]. Joseph wanted to leave her for the same reason Peter begged the Lord to leave him, when he said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man,” and for the same reason the Centu-rion kept him from his house, [saying,] “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof.” Thus Joseph, considering himself unworthy and a sinner, said to himself that a man like him ought not to live under the same roof with a woman so great and exalted, whose wonderful and superior dignity filled him with awe. He saw with fear and trembling that she bore the surest signs of the divine presence, and, since he could not fathom the mystery, he wanted to depart from her. Peter was frightened by the greatness of the power; the Centurion feared the majesty of the presence. Joseph, too, as a human being, was afraid of the newness of the great miracle, the profundity of the mystery, and so he decided to leave her quietly. Are you surprised that Joseph judged himself unworthy of the pregnant Virgin’s company? After all, have you not heard that St. Elizabeth, too, could not endure her presence without fear and awe? As she says, “Whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?” This then is why Joseph decided to leave her. — St. Bernard of Clairvaux 

According to [St.] Jerome and Origen, Joseph had no suspicion of adultery because he knew the modesty and chastity of Mary. Moreover, he had read in Scripture that the virgin would con-ceive and that “a shoot shall sprout from the stock of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” He knew also that Mary was descended from the line of David. Thus it was easier for him to believe that Isaiah’s prophecy had been accomplished in her than to think that she could have let herself descend into debauchery. This is why, considering himself unworthy to live with a person of such great sanctity, he wanted to send her away secretly — like when Peter says to Jesus, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" — St. Thomas Aquinas 

Joseph wanted to give the Virgin her liberty, not because he suspected her of adultery, but [because] out of respect for her sanctity he feared to live together with her. —    St. Thomas Aquinas

In the mystical revelations of St. Bridget of Sweden, the Blessed Virgin herself spoke of the justice and reverence St. Joseph had exer-cised in response to discovering her pregnancy. Our Lady said the following to St. Bridget:

From the moment I [Mary] gave my consent to God’s messenger, Joseph, seeing that, having conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, I was pregnant and that I was growing, wondered greatly. Because he would not suspect evil but remembered the words of the prophet who foretold that the Son of God would be born of a virgin, he reputed himself unworthy to serve such a mother, until the angel in a dream commanded him not to fear but to minister to me with charity.

Interestingly, what Mary told St. Bridget of Sweden is exactly what she would have told St. Matthew when he was writing his Gospel. Think about it: How else did St. Matthew find out about what is recounted in Matthew 1:18-24 if not from Mary? Saint Matthew did not know St. Joseph, and he was not present when everything happened. The source of the information had to be Mary, and Mary did not tell St. Matthew that her husband wanted to divorce her. She would have told him the exact same thing she told St. Bridget: namely, that St. Joseph did not suspect any wrongdoing and knew that Mary had conceived of the Holy Spirit. He was afraid of such holiness. Mary didn’t tell St. Matthew that her husband wanted to divorce her. On the contrary, she told him that her husband considered himself unworthy of that great role and desired to distance himself from her out of justice and reverence.

Did St. Joseph fully understand what was going on in Mary’s womb? No, he didn’t. He would not have had all the information needed to give a theological discourse about how God was taking on human nature in Mary’s womb, and he, a faithful, first-century Jewish man, certainly would not have understood terms such as “hypostatic union” or “Incarnation” since those only emerged in the Church after centuries of thought, prayer, and discernment. However, he was convinced that what was happening in her was of God. He did not know how the Child came to be in her womb, but we are assured by saints and Fathers of the Church that he never doubted that Mary was pure or that God was at work in her. He did not doubt Mary; he doubted himself and his ability to be the husband of such a woman and the father of such a Child.

The greatness of St. Joseph is that he was willing to become a homeless wanderer out of love for God and Mary. He did not want to defame Mary by a divorce, even a quiet one. After Jesus Christ, St. Joseph is the humblest of all men, and he was willing to step out of the picture and disappear. If God wanted him to remain in the picture, it would take a divine revelation to make it known. With the exception of Jesus Christ, of course, there has never been a man so selfless and heroic in love, faith, justice, reverence, and humility as St. Joseph.

God, of course, already knew he had the right man in St. Joseph, but St. Joseph needed to hear it from heaven itself. And that’s exactly what the angel did when he came to St. Joseph and spoke to him in his sleep. God let St. Joseph know that he needed to rely on St. Joseph’s willingness to always do the will of God. Jesus himself would need to rely on the humility and sacrificial love of St. Joseph in order to accomplish his saving mission. There would come a time when St. Joseph would be removed from the picture so that Jesus could teach the world about his Heavenly Father, but that time was not yet. Yet St. Joseph had proven himself to be a man who was reliable and obedient in the face of all sorts of events, whether advantageous or adverse. God could trust him.

The Reverence Theory teaches us that, in the mind and heart of St. Joseph, God comes first. If giving to God what belongs to God required St. Joseph to sacrifice a future with Mary, then so be it. God comes first. Out of love for God, St. Joseph was willing to undergo a sacrifice greater than any Old Testament Patriarch or New Testament martyr could ever make. God wanted St. Joseph to be a new Abraham, a man willing to sacrifice everything for God’s holy will. God rewarded St. Joseph’s love, obedience, justice, reverence, and humility by confirming him as the Head of the Holy Family, the father of Jesus Christ, the Terror of Demons, and our spiritual father. Saint Joseph reaped an unparalleled type of spiritual fatherhood, and his children will be as numerous as the stars of the sky! God made him the spiritual father of a new creation. God made him the Increaser!

The saints, theologians, and mystics who have taught over the centuries that St. Joseph exhibited perfect love, justice, and reveren-tial piety toward God and Mary give us a profound interpretation of Matthew 1:18-24 that is today being affirmed in what the Church teaches about St. Joseph. He is the greatest of all the saints, the “Pillar of Families” and the “Glory of Domestic Life.” After Jesus Christ, St. Joseph is the “Most Just,” loving, and reverent of all men!

Through his complete self-sacrifice, Joseph expressed his generous love for the Mother of God, and gave her a husband’s “gift of self.” Even though he decided to draw back so as not to interfere in the plan of God which was coming to pass in Mary, Joseph obeyed the explicit command of the angel and took Mary into his home, while respecting the fact that she belonged exclusively to God. — St. John Paul II

Saint Joseph, our spiritual father, is not a man of doubt who sought to divorce our spiritual mother. After his Son, St. Joseph is the model of supernatural love, faith, justice, reverence, and humility. He is a virtuous gentleman whose faith is constant and pure.

As regards his [St. Joseph’s] constancy, did he not display it won-derfully when, seeing Our Lady with child, and not knowing how that could be, his mind was tossed with distress, perplexity, and trouble? Yet, in spite of all, he never complained, he was never harsh or ungracious towards his holy spouse, but remained just as gentle and respectful in his demeanor as he had ever been. — St. Francis de Sales

Saint Joseph’s response to Mary’s pregnancy is a model for us. Our spiritual father teaches us how to be just and reverent in the face of all sorts of events. He teaches us to give God his due even if it requires us to be willing to sacrifice everything we love. Our spiritual father teaches us that we should not act hastily or harshly when we encounter perplexing situations. We are to take everything to prayer, and wait on the Lord for guidance and light. If we are loving, faith-ful, reverent, and just, God will reveal everything to us and make us abundantly fruitful.

Who was holier than Joseph? Who was purer than the Most Holy Virgin? And yet he [St. Joseph] wanted to leave her secretly. But how prudently and righteously he wanted to do it! He did not want to separate from her openly, lest she be defamed, but clan-destinely, that she may preserve her good name. You ought to learn from this holy and just man: although the deeds of others may seem evil to you and are said to be imperfect, you should judge them secretly, not openly, and judge in such a way that neither your conscience nor their good name be hurt. If you do so, you will not be lacking the light, so that you may judge rightly, as the righteous husband of the Most Holy Virgin did not lack light for comprehending the truth about how she had conceived. — St. Stanislaus Papczyński

Pray the Litany of St. Joseph:

Lord, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.  Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven,  have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Noble Offspring of David,  pray for us.
Light of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Guardian of the Redeemer, pray for us.
Chaste Guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster-Father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Zealous Defender of Christ, pray for us.
Servant of Christ, pray for us.
Minister of Salvation, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.

Joseph Most Just, pray for us.
Joseph Most Chaste,  pray for us.
Joseph Most Prudent,  pray for us.
Joseph Most Courageous,  pray for us.
Joseph Most Obedient, pray for us.
Joseph Most Faithful, pray for us.

Mirror of Patience, pray for us.
Lover of Poverty, pray for us.
Model of Workmen, pray for us.
Glory of Domestic Life, pray for us.
Guardian of Virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of Families, pray for us.
Support in Difficulties, pray for us.
Comfort of the Afflicted, pray for us.
Hope of the Sick, pray for us.
Patron of Exiles,  pray for us.
Patron of the Afflicted, pray for us.
Patron of the Poor, pray for us.
Patron of the Dying, pray for us.
Terror of Demons,  pray for us.
Protector of the Holy Church, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

V. He has made him lord of his household,
R. And prince over all his possessions.

Let us pray. O God, who, in your loving providence, chose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most Holy Mother, grant us the favor of having him for our intercessor in heaven whom on earth we venerate as our protector. You, who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

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