ST JOSEPH IN THE BIBLE

OUR MIGHTY PATRON

IN THE SCRIPTURES 

JOSEPH PRE-FIGURED

Jesus, the Bread of Life, was born in Bethlehem, House of Bread, and St. Joseph was the first man to hold and adore Him. He still presents the Bread of Life to us, Our Lord Jesus, just as he had at the Jerusalem temple. The people of Egypt went to Joseph to receive sustenance, so now let us Ite Ad Ioseph, Go to Joseph, and receive from his hands the Bread of Life, his Son Jesus Christ. 

And when there also they began to be famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. And he said to them: Go to Joseph: and do all that he shall say to you. - Genesis 41:55

 

The Lord God made St. Joseph Head of the Holy Family, Jesus and Mary were subject to him. Also, St. Joseph is Patron of the Universal Church, the Mystical Body of Christ on Earth. 

… He made him master of his house, and ruler of all his possessions. - Psalm 105:21

If we truly believe that the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ, then we must have a special devotion to St Joseph who guards this Body! WE also make up the body of the Church, so doesn’t it make sense that WE  have  recourse  to  him,  whom   God   has chosen, whom the Popes have chosen? St Joseph is therefore responsible for us - we are entrusted to him therefore we should be accountable to him. Not just saying a few nice words about him at Christmas time and on March 19th, but ALWAYS loving him. You cannot separate the Catholic Church from devotion to Joseph. So if we TRULY believe in the Mystical Body of Christ, if we truly believe the Holy Father to be the Vicar of Christ, then we must believe in the Church’s pronouncement of St Joseph being named Patron of the Catholic Church! These aren’t just words! Look at Matthew 18:18, Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven… AMEN!

HOLY ESPOUSALS OF MARY AND JOSEPH 

The writings of Venerable Maria de Agreda, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, as well as other (Church approved) Saints and Mystics have described heavenly visions of the Espousals of Joseph and Mary, with Joseph being selected to be husband of Mary as his staff bloomed lilies, a dove resting upon it.  

(Read Ch. 5 of “St. Joseph: Prince of the Church” www.PrinceOfTheChurch.yolasite.com)

And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness. - Isaiah 11:1-2

… a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. - St. Luke 1:27

And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. -St. Matthew 1:16

When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost. Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately. Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately. But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name JESUS. For he shall save his people from their sins. …And Joseph rising up from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife. …she brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus. - St. Matthew 1:18-25

 

FAMILY LIFE

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David. - St. Luke 2:4

And [the shepherds] came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. - St. Luke 2:16

And after the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, [Mary and Joseph] carried him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord. -  St. Luke 2:22

And [Joseph and Mary] were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him. -St. Luke 2:33

EXILE

…behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy him. Joseph arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and retired into Egypt. And he was there until the death of Herod:  that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called my son. -  St. Matthew 2:13-15

But when Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt, Saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel. For they are dead that sought the life of the child. He arose, and took the child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea in the room of Herod his father, Joseph was afraid to go thither: and being warned in sleep retired into the quarters of Galilee. And coming he dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was said by prophets: That he shall be called a Nazarene. - St. Matthew 2:19-23

SON OF JOSEPH

    And when he was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast, And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not. And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him.  And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions.  And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers.  And seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? did you not know, that I must be about my father's business? And they understood not the word that he spoke unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart. -St. Luke 2:41-51

Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, we have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph? 
-St. John 1:45 

    And they said: Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then saith he, I came down from heaven? - St. John 6:42

     Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary…? -  St. Matthew 13:55

Patron of a Happy Death (read Ch. 17 of St. Joseph: Prince of the Church.)

And I saw, and behold a white cloud; and upon the cloud one sitting like to the Son of man, having on his head a crown of gold, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Send thy sickle and reap; for the hour of reaping is come, for the harvest of the earth is dried. And he that sat on the cloud thrust his sickle into the earth, and the earth was reaped.  -  Revelation 14:14-16

  

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