The Presentation of Jesus: The Ransom

.“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” - Psalm 40:8-10

Thirty-three days after Our Lord’s circumcision, it was time for Joseph to take his wife and son to the temple at Jerusalem. The Law stated that after the birth of a child, the mother had to be purified, and though Mary herself was Immaculate, she willed to submit herself to the rite of Purification, just as her son was subjected to the circumcision. The Presentation was a ceremony in which the father would present his son to be redeemed under God. The child would be “ransomed” with an offering to the Lord, Joseph and Mary seeking to follow the Law as it was prescribed.

When the days of her purification were fulfilled according to the Law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord... - St. Luke 2:22

SIMEON

St. Joseph brought his family to the Jerusalem Temple to be Purified and Presented under the Law, not knowing what was in store. At the temple was Simeon, a devout priest of Jerusalem who, according to the Gospel of St. Luke, was awaiting the coming of the Messiah with great anticipation. We are told that he was quite old and wished desperately to see the “consolation of Israel” before he died. His prayers were answered when he was given a revelation from the Holy Spirit stating that the time had come for him to behold the Promised One. Simeon was the first man at the temple to recognize and revere the Saviour and hold the Child Jesus in his venerable arms, praising and thanking God for granting him this honour:

“Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word, in peace; because my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples:a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and a glory for thy people Israel.” - St. Luke 2:29

HEARTS OF SORROW INTERTWINED

After hearing this Canticle of Simeon and marveling at his words, the venerable priest went on to prophecise to Mary and Joseph the future of this child as well as words concerning the very soul of Our Lady, which would one day be wounded:

“Behold this Child is destined for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel, and for a sign that shall be contradicted. And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.” - St. Luke 2:34-36

Jesus being a sign of contradiction would cause concern in his parents’ hearts as this would come to mean that one day men would blaspheme against their son, who had come to redeem mankind. Knowing these things would inflict great sorrow within his mother’s Immaculate Heart, for the future of her son, and for those who would reject him. Mary’s very soul would be pierced along with her son’s, and this would be realized years later as she watched in horror as Jesus was whipped, beaten, and spat upon, but worse was to come. She would be at the foot of the cross to which her only Son was nailed. What mother wouldn’t want to kiss her son’s bruises and alleviate his pain? Her heart would be wounded with grief beyond measure, and her husband would not be there for her to lean on.

The most Humble Heart of Joseph would be in full union with that of his spouse, which together would carry a unique agony known only to them. Besides sharing this with Mary, St. Joseph had his own private affliction of knowing that he would not be there to protect his suffering boy or comfort Our Lady. Since he was not mentioned in Simeon’s prophecies, he knew that he would not live to witness these events. He knew that he would not be there to shield and protect those whom the Lord had lovingly entrusted to him. These hearts of Joseph and Mary brought together, by the Will of the God, in love, were now intertwined in sorrow, each one to be the consolation of the other.

PROPHETESS ANNA

After contemplating these things, the priest Simeon blessed and prayed over Mary, giving St. Joseph a special blessing as well. After these words, God sent to Joseph and Mary a consolation by means of Anna the prophetess who bore public witness to the greatness of God. It is traditionally held that Anna knew the Blessed Virgin when she was a child, teaching her in the ways of the Lord.

There was also Anna, a prophetess... She was of great age, having lived... by herself as a widow to eighty-four years. She never left the temple, with fastings and prayers... And coming up at that very hour, she began to give praise to the Lord, and spoke of him to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem - St. Luke 2:36-93

JOSEPH PRESENTS HIS SON

St. Joseph fulfills the Law’s requirement to present his son to God to be redeemed by a sacrifice of two turtledoves. St. Joseph had just fulfilled his second official act as father to Jesus, having presented and consecrated him at the Temple of Jerusalem.

Just as with the circumcision of Jesus, the Law required that the first-born son be redeemed. Joseph brought Jesus into the Inner Court of the Temple. He carried into the temple the True High Priest though no one would recognize the child as such nor would they pay him homage. In the midst of the temple was the Messiah Himself – the one’s arrival the Jews were earnestly praying for, though it was only the venerable Simeon and Anna who saw the Redeemer in this child. Jesus was to become the Sacrificial Lamb who years later would carry the cross upon which he would die for the redemption of the world. At the Presentation, his burden is not yet apparent as he is carried into the temple by his most faithful servant Joseph, consecrated to his Heavenly Father.

The Lord spoke to Moses and said, “Consecrate to me every firstborn that opens the womb...for it belongs to me.” - Exodus 13:1-2

Nobility of St Joseph

The Sovereign Lord had deigned to make St. Joseph of royal blood, placing in him all the honor and glory of the House of David. Though St. Joseph’s family no longer sat on the throne, he was still a continuation of this nobility. He carried this heritage as though it were a secret between himself and his Lord – a sacred bond between an earthly prince and the Ruler of Heaven and Earth. St. Joseph’s royalty was not shown with an outward crown, but one which was hidden within his most Chaste Heart – a heart in which the Lord Jesus took great consolation and great delight. (Taken from the book "St Joseph: A Treasury")  For more on the nobility of St Joseph, click the banner below...

The Holy Espousals of Mary and Joseph as Revealed to Venerable Maria de Agreda

Having grown considerably for her age, our most charming Princess, most pure Mary, had another abstractive vision of the Divinity of the same order and kind as those already described. In this vision, we might say, happened something similar to that which the holy Scriptures relate of Abraham, when God commanded him to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac, the only pledge of all his hopes. God tempted Abraham, says Moses (Gen. 12, 12), trying and probing the promptness of his obedience in order to reward it. We can say the same thing of our great Lady, that God tried Her in this vision, by commanding Her to enter the state of matrimony. Thence we can also understand the truth of the words: How inscrutable are the judgments of the Lord and how exalted are his ways and thoughts above our own (Rom. 11, 33)! As distant as heaven is from earth, were the thoughts of most holy Mary from the plans which the Most High now made known to Her, by commanding Her to accept a husband for her protection and company; for as far as depended upon her will She had desired and resolved during all her life not to have a husband and She had often repeated and renewed the vow of chastity, which She had taken at such a premature age.

Nevertheless at this unexpected command the most prudent Virgin suspended her judgment, and preserved the calmness of her hope and belief more perfectly than Abraham. Hoping against hope (Rom. 4, 18), She made answer to the Lord saying: "Eternal God and incomprehensible Majesty, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things contained therein, Thou, O Lord, who weighest the winds (Job 28, 25), and by thy commands settest bounds to the sea and subjectest all creation to thy will, canst dispose of me according to thy pleasure, without making me fail in that which I have promised to Thee; and if it be not displeasing to Thee, my good Lord, I confirm and ratify anew my desire to remain chaste during all my life and to have Thee for my Lord and Spouse; and since my only duty as a creature is to obey Thee, see Thou to it, my Spouse, that according to thy Providence I may escape from this predicament in which thy holy love places me." There was, however, some uneasiness in the most chaste maiden Mary, as far as her inferior nature was concerned, just as happened afterwards at the message of the archangel Gabriel (Luke 1, 8); yet, though She felt some sadness, it did not hinder Her from practicing the most heroic obedience which until then had fallen to her lot, and She resigned Herself entirely into the hand of the Lord. His Majesty answered her: "Mary, let not thy heart be disturbed, for thy resignation is acceptable to Me and my powerful arm is not subject to laws; by my disposition that will happen, which is most proper for Thee."

Consoled only by this vague promise of the Lord, most holy Mary recovered from her vision and returned to her ordinary state. Left between doubt and hope by the divine command and promise, She was full of solicitude, for the Lord intended that She should multiply Her tearful sentiments of love and confidence, of faith, humility, of obedience, of purest chastity and of other virtues, impossible to enumerate. In the meanwhile, while our great Lady applied Herself to vigilant prayer, and to her resigned and prudent sighs and solicitude, God spoke in sleep to the high priest, saint Simeon, and commanded him to arrange for the marriage of Mary, the daughter of Joachim and Anne of Nazareth; since He regarded Her with special care and love. The holy priest answered, asking what was his will in regard to the person, whom the maiden Mary was to marry and to whom She was to give Herself as Spouse. The Lord instructed Him to call together the other priests and learned persons and to tell them that this Maiden was left alone and an orphan and that She did not desire to be married; but that, as it was a custom for the firstborn maidens not to leave the temple without being provided for, it was proper She should be married to whomever it seemed good to them.

The most prudent Virgin, with a countenance betokening virginal modesty, answered the priest with great composure and humility: "Sir, as far as my inclinations are concerned, I desire to preserve perpetual chastity during all my life; for I wished to dedicate myself to God in the service of this holy temple in return for the great blessings which I have received in it; I never had the intention or the desire to enter the state of matrimony, since I consider myself incapable of fulfilling the duties connected with it. This was my inclination, but thou, my master, who art to me in place of God, wilt teach me what is according to his holy Will," "My Daughter," answered the priest, "thy holy desires are acceptable to the Lord; but remember, that no maiden of Israel abstains from marriage as long as we expect the coming of the Messias conformably to the divine prophecies. Therefore all who obtain issue of children among our people, esteem themselves happy and blessed. In the matrimonial state Thou canst serve God truly and in great perfection; and in order that Thou mayest obtain a companion according to the heart of God and who will be conformable to thy wishes, we will pray to the Lord, as I have told Thee, asking Him to single out a husband for Thee, who shall be pleasing to Him and of the line of David; do Thou also pray continually for the same favor, in order that the Most High may favor Thee and may direct us all."

This happened nine days before the one appointed for the execution and realization of their resolve. During this time the most holy Virgin multiplied her prayers, beseeching the Lord with incessant tears and sighs, to fulfill his divine pleasure in that which She had so much at heart. On one of those nine days the Lord appeared to Her and said to Her: "My Spouse and my Dove, let thy afflicted heart expand and let it not be disturbed or sad; I will attend to thy yearnings and to thy requests, I will direct all things, and will govern the priests by my enlightenment; I will give Thee a spouse selected by Myself, and one who will put no hindrance to thy holy desires, but who, by my grace will prosper Thee in them. I will find for Thee a perfect man conformable to my heart and I will choose him from the number of my servants; my power is infinite, and my protection and aid shall never fail Thee."

The most holy Mary answering said: "Highest Good and Love of my soul, Thou well knowest the secret of my bosom and my desires, which Thou hast excited in me from the first moment of the existence received from Thee; preserve me, then, my Spouse, pure and chaste, as I have desired for Thee and through Thee. Do not despise my sighs and deprive me not of thy countenance. Remember, my Lord and God, that I am but a useless wormlet, weak and despicable on account of my insignificance and if I should fall away from virtue in the state of matrimony, I shall disappoint Thee and my desires; provide Thou for my security and be not deterred by my demerits. Although I am but useless dust (Gen. 18, 27), I will call on thy greatness, O Lord, trusting in thy infinite mercies."

On the day on which, as we have said in the preceding chapter, our Princess Mary completed the fourteenth year of her life, the men, who at that time in the city of Jerusalem were descendants of the tribe of Juda and of the race of David, gathered together in the temple. The sovereign Lady was also of that lineage. Among the number was Joseph, a native of Nazareth. and then living in Jerusalem; for he was one of the descendants of the royal race of David. He was then thirty-three years of age, of handsome person and pleasing countenance, but also of incomparable modesty and gravity; above all he was most chaste in thought and conduct, and most saintly in all his inclinations. From his twelfth year he had made and kept the vow of chastity. He was related to the Virgin Mary in the third degree, and was known for the utmost purity of his life, holy and irreprehensible in the eyes of God and of men.

All these unmarried men gathered in the temple and prayed to the Lord conjointly with the priests. in order to be governed by the holy Spirit in what they were about to do. The Most High spoke to the heart of the highpriest, inspiring him to place into the hands of each one of the young men a dry stick, with the command that each ask his Majesty with a lively faith, to single out the one whom He had chosen as the spouse of Mary. And as the sweet odor of her virtue and nobility, the fame of her beauty, her possessions and her modesty, and her position as being the firstborn in her family was known to all of them, each one coveted the happiness of meriting Her as a spouse. Among them all only the humble and most upright Joseph thought himself unworthy of such a great blessing; and remembering the vow of chastity which he had made and resolving anew its perpetual observance, he resigned himself to God's will, leaving it all to his disposal and being filled at the same time with a veneration and esteem greater than that of any of the others for the most noble maiden Mary.

While they were thus engaged in prayer the staff which Joseph held was seen to blossom and at the same time a dove of purest white and resplendent with admirable light, was seen to descend and rest upon the head of the saint, while in the interior of his heart God spoke: "Joseph, my servant, Mary shall be thy Spouse; accept Her with attentive reverence, for She is acceptable in my eyes, just and most pure in soul and body, and thou shalt do all that She shall say to Thee." At this manifestation and token from heaven the priests declared saint Joseph as the spouse selected by God himself for the maiden Mary. Calling Her forth for her espousal, the Chosen one issued forth like the sun, more resplendent than the moon, and She entered into the presence of all with a countenance more beautiful than that of an angel, incomparable in the charm of her beauty, nobility and grace; and the priests espoused Her to the most chaste and holy of men, saint Joseph.

The heavenly Princess, more pure than the stars of the firmament, with tearful and sorrowful countenance and as the Queen of majesty, most humble yet uniting all perfections within Herself, took leave of the priests, asking their blessing, and of her instructress and her companions, begging their pardon. She gave thanks to all of them for the favors received at their hands during her stay in the temple. The humility of her behavior enhanced the prudence and aptness of her words for the performance of these last duties in the temple; for on all occasions She spoke in few and weighty words. She took leave of the temple not without great grief on account of the sacrifice of her inclinations and desires. In the company of attendants who were some of the more distinguished laymen in the service of the temple, She betook Herself with her spouse Joseph to Nazareth, the native city of this most fortunate married couple. Joseph, although he had been born in that place, had, by the providential disposition of circumstances, decided to live for some time in Jerusalem. Thus it happened that he so improved his fortune as to become the spouse of Her, whom God had chosen to be his own Mother.

Having arrived at their home in Nazareth, where the Princess of heaven had inherited the possessions and estates of her blessed parents, they were welcomed and visited by their friends and relatives with the joyful congratulations customary on such occasions. After they had in a most holy manner complied with the natural duties of friendship and politeness, and satisfied the worldly obligations connected with the conversation and interaction with their fellowmen, the two most holy spouses, Joseph and Mary, were left at leisure and to their own counsel in their house. Custom had introduced the practice among the Hebrews, that for the first few days of their married state the husband and wife should enter upon a sort of study or trial of each others' habits and temperament, in order that afterwards they might be able to make reciprocal allowance in their conduct one toward the other.

During this time saint Joseph said to his spouse Mary: "My spouse and Lady, I give thanks to the Lord most high God for the favor of having designed me as your husband without my merits, though I judged myself unworthy even of thy company; but his Majesty, who can raise up the lowly whenever He wishes, showed this mercy to me, and I desire and hope, relying on thy discretion and virtue, that Thou help me to make a proper return in serving Him with an upright heart. Hold me, therefore, as thy servant, and by the true love which I have for thee, I beg of thee to supply my deficiencies in the fulfillment of the domestic duties and of other things, which as a worthy husband, I should know how to perform; tell me, Lady, what is thy pleasure, in order that I may fulfill it."

The heavenly Spouse heard these words with an humble heart, and yet also with a serene earnestness, and She answered the saint: "My master, I am fortunate, that the Most High, in order to place me in this state of life, has chosen thee for my husband and that He has given me such evident manifestation of his will, that I serve thee; but if thou givest me leave I will speak of my thoughts and intentions, which I wish to manifest to thee for this purpose." The Most High forestalled the sincere and upright heart of saint Joseph with his grace and inflamed it anew with divine love through the word of most holy Mary, and he answered Her, saying: "Speak, Lady, thy servant hears." On this occasion the Mistress of the world was surrounded by the thousand angels of her guard, in visible form. She had asked them to be present in that manner, because the Lord, in order that the most pure Virgin might act with greater grace and merit, had permitted her to feel the respect and reverence, with which She was bound to speak to her husband and left her to the natural shyness and dread, which She always felt in speaking to men alone; for She had never done this, except perhaps by accident with the highpriest.

The holy angels obeyed their Queen and, visible only to Her, stood in attendance. In this glorious company She spoke to her spouse saint Joseph, and said to him: "My lord and spouse, it is just that we give praise and glory with all reverence to our God and Creator, who is infinite in goodness and incomprehensible in his judgments. To us, who are so needy, He has manifested his greatness and mercy in choosing us for his service. I acknowledge myself among all creatures as more beholden and indebted to Him than all others, and more than all of them together; for, meriting less. I have received from his liberal hand more than they. At a tender age, being compelled thereto by the force of this truth, which, with the knowledge of the deceitfulness of visible things, his divine light made known to me, I consecrated myself to God by a perpetual vow of chastity in body and soul; his I am and Him I acknowledge as my Spouse and Lord, with fixed resolve to preserve for Him my chastity. I beseech thee, my master, to help me in fulfilling this vow, while in all other things I will be thy servant, willing to work for the comfort of thy life as long as mine shall last. Yield, my spouse, to this resolve and make a like resolve, in order that, offering ourselves as an acceptable sacrifice to our eternal God, He may receive us in the odor of sweetness and bestow on us the eternal goods for which we hope."

The most chaste spouse Joseph, full of interior joy at the words of his heavenly Spouse, answered Her: "My Mistress, in making known to me thy chaste and welcome sentiments, thou hast penetrated and dilated my heart. I have not opened my thoughts to Thee before knowing thy own. I also acknowledge myself under greater obligation to the Lord of creation than other men; for very early He has called me by his true enlightenment to love Him with an upright heart; and I desire Thee to know, Lady, that at the age of twelve years I also made a promise to serve the Most High in perpetual chastity. On this account I now gladly ratify this vow in order not to impede thy own; in the presence of his Majesty I promise to aid Thee, as far as in me lies, in serving Him and loving Him according to thy full desires. I will be, with the divine grace, thy most faithful servant and companion, and I pray Thee accept my chaste love and hold me as thy brother, without ever entertaining any other kind of love, outside the one which Thou owest to God and after God to me. In this conversation the Most High confirmed anew the virtue of chastity in the heart of saint Joseph, and the pure and holy love due to his most holy spouse Mary. This love the saint already had in an eminent degree, and the Lady herself augmented it sweetly, dilating his heart by her most prudent discourse.

By divine operation the two most holy and chaste Spouses felt an incomparable joy and consolation. The heavenly Princess, as one who is the Mistress of all virtues and who in all things pursued the highest perfection of all virtues, lovingly corresponded to the desires of saint Joseph. The Most High also gave to saint Joseph new purity and complete command over his natural inclinations, so that without hindrance or any trace of sensual desires, but with admirable and new grace, he might serve his spouse Mary, and in Her, execute his will and pleasure.

There arose between the two Spouses a holy contest, who should obey the other as superior. But She, who among the humble was the most humble, won in this contest of humility; for as the man is the head of the family, She would not permit this natural order to be inverted. She desired in all things to obey her spouse saint Joseph, asking him solely for permission to help the poor, which the saint gladly gave.

As saint Joseph during these days by divine enlightenment learnt to know more and more the qualities of his spouse Mary, her rare prudence, humility, purity and all her other virtues exceeding by far his thoughts and estimates, he was seized with ever new admiration and, in great joy of spirit, continued to praise and thank the Lord again and again for having given him a Companion and Spouse so far above his merits. And in order that this work of the Most High might be entirely perfect (for it was the beginning of the greatest, which He was to execute by his Omnipotence) He ordained that the Princess of heaven, by her mere presence and interactions, should infuse into the heart of her spouse a holy fear and reverence greater than words could ever suffice to describe. This effect was wrought upon saint Joseph by an effulgence or reflection of the divine light, which shone from the face of our Queen and which was mingled with an ineffable and always visible majesty. So much the more was this due to Her than to Moses descending from the mountain, (Exod. 24, 30) as her interactions and conversation with God had been more extended and intimate.

The Holy Espousals of Mary and Joseph

.

St. Luke 1:27 The Virgin was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David.

Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican Gardens, 5 July 2010: The espousals between Joseph and Mary are an episode of great importance. Joseph was of the royal line of David and, in virtue of his marriage to Mary, would confer on the Son of the Virgin - on God's Son - the legal tile of "Son of David," thus fulfilling the prophecies. The espousals of Joseph and Mary are, because of this, a human event, but determinant in the history of humanity's salvation, in the realization of the promises of God; because of this, it also has a supernatural connotation, which the two protagonists accept with humility and trust.

Venerable Maria de Agreda:  The Most High spoke to the heart of the high priest, inspiring him to place into the hands of each one of the young men a dry stick, with the command that each ask his Majesty with a lively faith, to single out the one whom He had chosen as the spouse of Mary. While they were thus engaged in prayer the staff which Joseph held was seen to blossom and at the same time a dove of purest white and resplendent with admirable light, was seen to descend and rest upon the head of the saint... And the priest espoused Mary to the most chaste and holy of men, Saint Joseph.

St Josemaria Escriva: You don't have to wait to be old or lifeless to practice the virtue of chastity. Purity comes from love; and the strength and gaiety of youth is no obstacle for noble love. Joseph had a young heart and a young body when he married Mary, when he learned of the mystery of her divine motherhood, when he lived in her company, respecting the integrity God wished to give the world as one more sign that he had come to share the life of his creatures. Anyone who cannot understand a love like that knows very little of true love and is a complete stranger to the Christian meaning of chastity.

St Albert the Great: Here is the name of Joseph which deserves the homage of virtue, because Mary was espoused to the just Joseph, but not united to him in concupiscence.  Reflect on the vow of virginity of both these spouses, for it is stated that the angel was sent by God to a virgin espoused to a man named Joseph.  And this is said because she was found to be with child before they were united.  Since therefore she had been espoused before this was revealed to her that is since she had been entrusted to his care, up to the time when, because of her physical condition, she was found to be with child, this union would not have continued unless, by mutual consent, they had already made a vow of virginity.

St. Francis de Sales: How exalted in the virtue of virginity must Joseph have been who was destined by the Eternal Father to be the companion in virginity of Mary! Both had made a vow to preserve virginity for their entire lives, and it was the Will of God to join them in the bond of a holy marriage.

Pope Benedict XVI, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 18 March 2009: Joseph teaches us that it is possible to love without possessing. In contemplating Joseph, all men and women can, by God’s grace, come to experience healing from their emotional wounds, if only they embrace the plan that God has begun to bring about in those close to him, just as Joseph entered into the work of redemption through Mary and as a result of what God had already done in her.

St. Bernardino of Siena:  St Joseph was the living image of his Virgin Spouse; they resembled each other like two pearls.

Pope St. John Paul II, Redemptoris Custos: In the Liturgy, Mary is celebrated as "united to Joseph, the just man, by a bond of marital and virginal love." There are really two kinds of love here, both of which together represent the mystery of the Church -virgin and spouse - as symbolized in the marriage of Mary and Joseph. “Virginity or celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of God not only does not contradict the dignity of marriage but presupposes and confirms it. Marriage and virginity are two ways of expressing and living the one mystery of the Covenant of God with his people,” the Covenant which is a communion of love between God and human beings.

St. Jerome: That God was born of a virgin we believe because we read it.  That Mary consummated marriage after her childbirth we do not believe because we do not read it.  Nor do we say this in order to condemn marriage, for virginity is itself a fruit of marriage, but because there is no license to draw rash conclusions about holy men.  For if we wish to take the mere possibility into consideration, we can contend that Joseph had several wives because Abraham and Jacob had several wives and that from these wives, the ‘brethren of the Lord’ were born, a fiction which most people invent with not so much pious as presumptuous audacity.  You say that Mary did not remain a virgin; even more do I claim that Joseph was virginal through Mary, in order that from a virginal marriage a virginal son might be born.  For if the charge of fornication does not fall on this holy man, and if it is not written that he had another wife, and if he was more of a protector than a husband of Mary, whom he was thought to have as his wife, it remains to assert that he who merited to be called the father of the Lord remained virginal with her.

Pope Leo XIII, Quamquam Pluries:  There are special reasons why Blessed Joseph should be explicitly named Patron of the Church and why the Church should in turn expect much from his patronage and guardianship.  For he, indeed, was the husband of Mary and the father, as was supposed, of Jesus Christ.  From this arises all his dignity, grace, holiness, and glory.  The dignity of the Mother of God is certainly so sublime that nothing can surpass it; but none the less, since the bond of marriage existed between Joseph and the Blessed Virgin, there can be no doubt that, more than any other person, he approached that supereminent dignity by which the Mother of God is raised far above all created natures.  For marriage is the closest possible union and relationship whereby each spouse mutually participates in the goods of the other.  Consequently, if God gave Joseph as a spouse to the Virgin he assuredly gave him not only as a companion in life, a witness of her virginity, and the guardian of her honor, but also as a sharer in her exalted dignity by reason of the conjugal tie itself.

The Obedience of St Joseph, Exile Into Egypt & Dismas the Good Thief

.

Taken from the book: "St Joseph Prince of the Church"

Being the head of the Holy Family and its appointed guide and provider, Joseph received yet another message from the Archangel Gabriel, the Messenger of the Lord:

“Arise, and take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there until I tell thee! For Herod will seek the child to destroy him!” - St. Matthew 2:13

Joseph didn’t know why Herod wanted to kill the Child Jesus, nor did he have time to think about this, all he knew was he had to get his wife and son to safety. They quietly stole away into the night, moving like shadows in the street. The night would have been cold and dark, their only lamp the light of the moon and the stars in the sky. As Joseph guided the donkey out of Bethlehem, he pondered in his heart: “Why would a king want to hurt an innocent child? What has my son done to warrant this murderous plot? He’s just a baby!” Mary, too, wondered with Joseph as to why this child was a target for Herod’s anger.

The words of Simeon, the elder from the temple, echoed in their minds: “Behold,this child is destined for the fall and rise of many!” Could this already be the beginning fulfillment of his words? Jesus was barely two months old and already he had stirred up hope in the lowly and fear in the mighty! To St. Joseph was given the responsibility and honour of safeguarding the life of the Christ Child as well as that of the Blessed Virgin. The Wise Men of the East had inquired to Herod about the birth of the King of the Jews in Bethlehem and this made him nervous. Rather than risk losing his crown, Herod unleashed his wrath and his insecurities by sending his soldiers to Bethlehem to kill every boy under the age of two years of age, just to be sure. While soldiers were swarming into Bethlehem and tearing infants away from their mothers’ breasts, the Holy Family were already far into the desert.

... and he sent and slew all the boys in Bethlehem and all its neighbourhood who were two years old or under ... - St. Matthew 2:16

The angel had given no other instruction other than to flee to Egypt and to remain there until further word. This uncertainty would have been incredibly distressful to Joseph, but he being a perfect model of obedience to the Will of God asked no questions. He stands in great contrast to the great Lawgiver Moses who made numerous inquiries and hesitations as the Lord commanded him to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, even though the Lord had promised to be among him and his people. The Lord even said that he would show many signs and wonders for their consolation, and yet they complained and caused themselves grief.

Joseph was commanded by the angel to get up and go, no help is promised, no directions given and no words of consolation. In the Gospel of St. Matthew, Joseph is shown to us as a man of faith and a man of action - obedient upon receiving his instructions and is shown to us as a perfect example of complete submission to the Divine Will.

So he arose, and took the child and his mother

by night, and withdrew into Egypt...

- St. Matthew 2:14

Concerning this man of action, we are given the words of Pope Benedict XVI to contemplate the example St. Joseph gives us of his faith and fidelity to the Lord:

“In Joseph, faith is not separated from action. His faith had a decisive effect on his actions. Paradoxically, it was by acting, by carrying out his responsibilities, that he stepped aside and left God free to act, placing no obstacles in his way. Joseph is a ‘just’ man because his existence is ‘ad-justed’ to the word of God.”

- Pope Benedict XVI, Yaoundé, Cameroon, March 18, 2009

The sun, beginning to rise, and their cover of darkness slowly vanishing, we can imagine Our Lady praying silently over her boy, her lips whispering a prayer for divine help in her hour of need and especially for Joseph, her just husband who was leading them into exile:

“Hearken to my words, O Lord, attend to my sighing. Heed my call for help, my king and my God! To You I pray, O Lord; at dawn you hear my voice; at dawn I bring my plea expectantly before you. Protect [us], that you may be the joy of [us] who love your name! ... O Lord, bless the just man ... surround him with the shield of your good will.” - Psalm 5:2-5, 12

Though his wife was praying quietly, Joseph heard her pleas to the Lord and was touched by her reverence. She was a strong woman and though she cried, her tears filled him with the strength to walk onwards, regardless of how tired his feet were.

Thus says the Lord: “Cease your cries of mourning, wipe the tears from your eyes. The sorrow you have shown shall have its reward …” - Jeremiah 31:16

Christ was Joseph’s love and salvation, and though He was not flesh of his flesh or blood of his blood, Jesus was still his son. And as long as he kept his faith in the Lord - especially during trials and sufferings - Joseph would not fail. As the terrain turned rougher, the family spent several days walking in the hot sun and sleeping under whatever shelter they could find. Also, Joseph got very little sleep since he kept watch almost all night, as it was not uncommon to hear stories of travelers being robbed, raped, and even killed in the desert!

There is a tradition as early as the 3^rd century, found predominately in the Eastern Church, that the Holy Family themselves encountered thieves in the desert. Upon traveling, St. Joseph and his family found themselves in an area inhabited by a band of thieves – one of whom was named Dismas. Dismas saw this vulnerable family approaching and was about to attack and rob them when his eyes saw the face of the Divine Infant. It is said that he recognized the Child Jesus as his Lord and at once repented.

During their flight into Egypt the Holy Family fell into the hands of robbers. One of them, ravished by the beauty of the Child, said to his companions: ‘Verily I say to you that if it were possible for God to assume our nature I should believe this Child to be God.’ ... they allowed the Holy Family to depart unhurt. - Blessed James of Voragine (1226-1298), Sermon on the Flight into Egypt

It is said that later at the crucifixion, Dismas was the thief to the right hand of Our Lord, in whom he professed his faith, and asked pardon. Traditionally on a crucifix, Jesus tilts his head to his right-hand side, acknowledging the reverence paid to him by the Good Thief.

And he said to Jesus, “Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom”

- St. Luke 23:42

The desert was a no man’s land, save for thieves and wild animals. On the rare occasions that the Holy Family encountered a group of nomads, St. Joseph would cautiously approach them to see if they had good intentions and if they had any food to spare, as their supplies were running low. He would accept only what was offered and would decipher if this group was noble or not to be trusted. If they were in fact well-meaning people, he would bring Mary and Jesus along to eat and rest. These encounters were few, but we imagine that they must have run into some people, as there would be other cautious travelers going to or from Egypt. But these rest stops were few and lasted only a few moments as they were not safe until they reached Egypt.

THE HOLY INNOCENTS

Meanwhile, Herod’s fury raged in Bethlehem and its surrounding towns, innocent blood streamed down the streets as mothers and fathers wept for their sons. Joseph saw his wife’s tears as she thought about these families - families that were just like theirs and he, though strong on the outside, was weeping bitterly in his heart. Just thinking about the fathers wrestling to save their sons made his heart swell with sorrow.

Had the angel not warned him, it would have been him, fighting to save his only son. It would have been his wife, sobbing in the streets. It would have been his boy who was killed by the sword of a jealous king. These men’s sons would be the first martyrs to spill their blood for Jesus Christ - these Holy Innocents dying for Christ without even knowing it, but great is their reward in Heaven.

After construction of the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot of Christ’s birth, the Empress St. Helena (ca. 250-330) brought the relics of some of these little children and placed them in one of the church’s underground chapels, which was subsequently dedicated to their memory. Under the altar repose the little bodies and holy relics of these innocent children, beloved by God and His Church.

The Roman Catholic Church celebrates these victim children, piously referred to as the “Holy Innocents”, on December 28^th. The Church also names them “Flowers of the Martyrs” as they were the buds of the new Church, being cut down in the persecution of Herod.   

... I saw under the altar, the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God, ... and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, (holy and true), dost Thou refrain from judging and from avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” - Revelation 6:9

“Joseph guarded from death the Child threatened by a monarch's jealousy, and found for Him a refuge; in the miseries of the journey and in the bitterness of exile he was ever the companion, the assistance, and the upholder of the Virgin and of Jesus.” - Pope Leo XIII, Quamquam Pluries, August 15, 1889