ST. JOSEPH REVEALED

ST. JOSEPH REVEALED

+ IMMACULATE or SANCTIFIED?

+ YOUNG VIRGIN or OLD WIDOWER?

+ ASSUMED or IN THE TOMB?

WHY THE ANNUNCIATION TO JOSEPH IN HIS SLEEP?

Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly. But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:19-20

There are some who are perplexed as to why this great announcement to Joseph took place while he was sleeping rather than while he was awake. The reasons for this are given by Venerable Maria de Agreda and are shared in THE BOOK OF JOSEPH:

The first reason is, since Joseph was so prudent and filled with heavenly light, that it was not necessary to convince him by strong evidence to assure him of Mary’s dignity and of the mysteries of the Incarnation.

The second reason is, because his trouble had its beginning in seeing with his open eyes the pregnancy of his spouse, that they, having given occasion for suspicion, should be closed in order to see the angelic vision.

The third reason is that it was befitting for the angel deliver this message to him at a time when his senses, which had been scandalized to the point of grief, were suspended, that Joseph be in a state of peace and tranquility of spirit.

☩ ATTACKS OF THE DEVIL AGAINST THE CHILD JOSEPH ☩

Excerpt from Chapter 2 of the BOOK OF JOSEPH: As the child Joseph grows the devil takes notice of him. He is aware that Joseph is unlike other children. This child possesses the reasoning and virtues of a grown man, lives piously, and communes with angels. He knows that he will associate with the Messiah when He comes, but does not know in what capacity. The devil is confused; he does not fully know what this boy’s role is in God’s redemptive plan, but he makes war on him regardless, as Mother Cecelia Baij acknowledges:

The devil, that hellish fiend, was aware of the light that abided in Joseph and he feared that this child would arouse others to take up the struggle against him. He attempted several times to take the child’s life, but his plans always went awry, for Joseph was protected by the almighty arm of God. Joseph was guarded by two angels … and the angel who had been assigned to speak to him in his dreams continually advised him on what to do to overcome the infernal demon … Joseph never failed to carry out the admonitions of the angel. 

Seeing the difficulty posed by the child’s protective angels, the devil then decided to go after those close to Joseph, namely his parents and the domestic servants. He tried to instill in them hostility and confusion with the desired outcome of mistreatment and abuse of little Joseph. Mother Cecelia Baij continues:

The devil devised another ruse, whereby, he endeavored to instigate strife and confusion between Joseph’s parents. This too failed. … Satan then attempted an attack upon the domestics of the household, but even this miscarried, for Joseph prayed for them all and God heard his petitions (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 11).

The angel who had been assigned to speak to Joseph in his dreams continually advised him in how to overcome the demon. He would inform Joseph as soon as he saw that the devil was preparing to launch another attack against the household, and Joseph never failed to carry out the admonitions of the angel. The devil often endeavored to stir up the domestics to mistreat Joseph, for the purpose of seeing him fail in the virtue of patience during affliction. But in this the demon never succeeded (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 16).
The devil, being increasingly angry and frustrated, then instilled in some of the townspeople a great hatred for Joseph, inciting them to abuse him in various ways. It is revealed that among them, the devil chose to act through, as Mother Cecelia writes, “undisciplined youths” and “a woman who led an evil life”:

Satan continued in his harassment of Joseph by stirring up against him several people who were leading bad lives; he implanted in them a great hatred for this holy soul … Undisciplined youths agreed to bombard him with invective whenever they would meet him ... they would scoff and jeer at him. The saintly Joseph would merely bow his head … and beg God that his enemies would be enlightened and realize their error. When the youths observed this, they labeled him a blockhead, a coward, and a frightened rabbit. Joseph calmly continued his way. The youths followed him, hurling at him their offensive language (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 26).

The harassment endured by Joseph is also revealed in the writings of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich and Mother Cecelia Baij who were shown visions of these events:

I often saw young Joseph under the colonnade in the outer court kneeling with his face to the wall, praying … and I saw the boys creep up and kick him. I once saw him kneeling like this, when one of them hit him on the back, and as he did not seem to notice it, he repeated his attack with such violence that poor Joseph fell forward onto the hard, stone floor. From this I realized that he was not in a waking condition, but had been in an ecstasy of prayer. When he came to himself, he did not lose his temper or take revenge, but found a hidden corner where he continued his prayer (A. Emmerich, 1953, pg. 76).

The sight of this virtuous child put the devil into a frightful rage. He became violent, and undertook one day, to cast Joseph down headlong over a flight of stairs ... Joseph called to God for help and the Most High prevented him from being harmed … the devil was now forced to withdraw (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 17).

The devil made use of a woman who, because of her evil life, hated the very sight of the little Saint. He incited her to go often to Joseph’s mother to harass her and to report falsehoods against her son. … Although he knew who was causing all the trouble, Joseph’s heart bore no hostility (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 27).

The purposes of these attacks by the devil were not just meant to produce some physical harm to Joseph, but to destroy or at least diminish his spirituality, his sanctity, by causing him to despair and to retaliate hatred with hatred. But this did not happen. Through all this, the child Joseph prayed for those who mistreated him, with the maturity of a grown man but with the innocence of a child. Mother Cecelia Baij and Pope Francis reflect on the peace of St. Joseph, even in difficult times:

Joseph was so submerged in the thought of God’s love, and so joyful over the realization of God’s presence in his soul, that nothing could disturb the peace within his heart (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 17).

St. Joseph did not allow bitterness to poison his soul; rather, he was ready to make himself available to God’s plan. He did not hate. Yet how many times does hatred, or even dislike and bitterness poison our souls! And this is harmful. Never allow it: he is an example of this (Francis, 2013).

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♔ THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD - ST. JOSEPH PRESENTS HIS SON ♔

♔ THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD ♔

The holy spouse Saint Joseph was, by these prophecies (of Simeon), made to see many of the mysteries of the Redemption and of the labors and sufferings of Jesus. … However Saint Joseph was not to be an eyewitness of them during his mortal life. — Venerable Maria de Agreda 

ST. JOSEPH PRESENTS HIS SON

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, in which women were not allowed, Our Lady waiting outside. 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

♔ ECSTASY OF ST JOSEPH AT THE NATIVITY ♔

The hearer of the words of God hath said, he that hath beheld the vision of the Almighty, he that falleth, and so his eyes are opened. - Numbers 24:4

he oracle of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered, - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/ecstasy#sthash.DESlhT0l.dpuf

A seldom asked question is, “Was Joseph present at the moment of Christ’s Birth?” Some Eastern Rites believe that he went out looking for a midwife and when he returned with her, the child had already been born. However, according to Venerable Maria de Agreda (1602-1665) and St. Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938), St. Joseph was indeed present at Christ’s birth. We are told that blessed Joseph was enraptured in holy ecstasy and called out of it when Our Lord was born:

Venerable Maria de Agreda:  Saint Joseph retired to a corner of the entrance, where he began to pray. He was immediately visited by the Holy Spirit and felt a most sweet and extraordinary influence, by which he was wrapt and elevated into an ecstasy. In it was shown him all that passed during that night in this blessed cave; for he did not return to consciousness until his heavenly spouse called him. Such was the sleep which Saint Joseph enjoyed in that night, more exalted and blessed than that of Adam in paradise.  . . .  Joseph issued from his ecstasy and, on being restored to consciousness, the first sight of his eyes was the divine Child in the arms of the Virgin Mother reclining against her sacred countenance and breast. There he adored Him in profoundest humility and in tears of joy he kissed His feet in great joy and admiration. 

St. Maria Faustina Kowalska: . . . I saw the stable of Bethlehem filled with great radiance. The Blessed Virgin, all lost in the deepest of love, was wrapping Jesus in swaddling clothes, but Joseph was still asleep as it were (in his ecstacy). Only after the Mother of God put Jesus in the manger, did the light of God awaken Joseph, who also prayed. 

Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican Gardens, 5 July 2010: On that holy night, in Bethlehem, with Mary and the Child, is Joseph, to whom the Heavenly Father entrusted the daily care of his Son on earth, a care carried out with humility and in silence.

So as we can see, St. Joseph was present at the birth of the Holy Child as God would not want him to miss the greatest moment of his life. Though St. Joseph was experiencing an ecstasy of the Nativity, he was still present and once he was awakened from it he was the first man to adore the Divine Child. He held the Infant in his arms and kissed the feet of the Lord. Joseph was, as most fathers would be, at this moment: anxious, joyful, and proud! His wife had just given birth to Love Incarnate, the Saviour, and a New Adam for the world!

Genesis 17:16 – I will bless her, and she shall be the mother of nations . . .

St. Luke 2:7 – . . . she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Revelation 12:5 – And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations.

Words cannot truly express the magnitude of this event in history. This single moment, the bringing of this child into our world, means one thing to us, yet there are so many ways to describe what has just taken place. Salvation has just been given to us in this Child! We hear the choirs of angels rejoicing at the birth with the night sky illuminated as if it were day, the choirs emanating light as they sound the hymn of praise to Almighty God. Salvation has come to mankind!

Revelation 19:6-7 – And I heard as it were a voice of a great crowd, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunders, saying, “Alleluia! . . . Let us be glad and rejoice and give glory to Him;”

Psalm 113:1-4 – Praise, you servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord . . . From the rising and setting of the sun is the name of the Lord to be praised! High above all nations is the Lord; above the heavens is His glory!

♔ PATERNAL AUTHORITY ♔

On this most holy of nights, Joseph entered into the nobility of fatherhood and his paternity was far more superior to that of a “legal guardian” or “foster-father” as many people are known to label him. Jesus, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, was the crowning splendour of the virginal espousals of St. Joseph and Our Lady. He wished to humble himself by being born of a woman and by submitting himself to the paternal authority of his chosen father Joseph, thereby establishing a true relationship between father and son. Joseph assumed all responsibility and honour befitting a father and it was Jesus who willed that he be master over himself and his Blessed Mother, giving St. Joseph his rightful place as the head of the Holy Family. Though Christ is King and Our Lady is Queen, Joseph has sovereign authority over both of them as the established father-head of the family.

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

St. Luke 12:42, 44 – Who dost thou think, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will set over his household . . . ? Truly I say to you, he will set him over all his goods. 

♔ THE JOY OF ST. JOSEPH AT THE BIRTH OF CHRIST ♔

♔ THE JOY OF ST. JOSEPH AT THE BIRTH OF CHRIST ♔

Remember: Every Wednesday is dedicated to St. Joseph. Let us honor St. Joseph and contemplate his Joy at the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ! May almighty God be praised and glorified through His wonderful mysteries!

St. Luke 2:4-7: 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, to be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child. And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes… 

Venerable Maria de Agreda: St. Joseph adored the newborn in profoundest humility and with tears of joy he kissed his feet in admiration…

Pope Benedict XVI: On that holy night, in Bethlehem, with Mary and the Child, is Joseph, to whom the Heavenly Father entrusted the daily care of his Son on earth, a care carried out with humility and in silence.

✠ 1 OUR FATHER ✠ 10 HAIL JOSEPH ✠ 1 GLORY BE ✠

✠ Hail Joseph Son of David, God is with you! blessed are you among men and blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ! Holy Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer, pray for us and be with us now and as we sigh our last breath. Amen. ✠

♔ THE JOY OF THE MARRIAGE OF ST. JOSEPH AND THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY ♔

Today let us honor St. Joseph and contemplate the Joy of his selection as the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary! May the Lord God be praised and glorified through His wonderful mysteries!

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

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.

Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich: As Joseph was about to lay his staff on the altar before the Holy of Holies, a white flower like a lily blossomed out of the top … I saw over him an appearance of light like the Holy Ghost.

Servant of God, Mother Cecilia Baij: Suddenly Joseph saw his branch begin to sprout and become bedecked with snow-white blossoms! Everyone around him was soon staring at this miraculous sign. … All those present now saw a snow-white dove descend from Heaven and settle on the head of Joseph. It was now quite certain that of all the candidates, Joseph was the man of God’s choice.

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.

✠ 1 OUR FATHER ✠ 10 HAIL JOSEPH ✠ 1 GLORY BE ✠

✠ Hail Joseph Son of David, God is with you! blessed are you among men and blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ! Holy Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer, pray for us and be with us now and as we sigh our last breath. Amen. ✠

Please click HERE to read more on the Holy Espousals of St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

♔ ST JOSEPH: FATHER & TEACHER OF CHRIST ♔

,And they kept saying, “Is this not Jesus the son of Joseph?” — St. John 6:42

Pope Benedict XVI, Yaoundé, Homily 18 March 2009:  There is but one fatherhood, that of God the Father, the one Creator of the world, “of all that is seen and unseen”. Yet man, created in the image of God, has been granted a share in this one paternity of God (cf. Eph 3:15). Saint Joseph is a striking case of this, since he is a father, without fatherhood according to the flesh. He is not the biological father of Jesus, whose Father is God alone, and yet he lives his fatherhood fully and completely. To be a father means above all to be at the service of life and growth. Saint Joseph, in this sense, gave proof of great devotion. For the sake of Christ he experienced persecution, exile and the poverty which this entails. He had to settle far from his native town. His only reward was to be with Christ. His readiness to do all these things illustrates the words of Saint Paul: “It is Christ the Lord whom you serve” (Col 3:24).

The Holy Bible does not give us a full account of the life of the Holy Family except for a brief mention in the Gospel of St. Luke, when Jesus is already twelve years of age. These hidden years were no doubt filled with the everyday joys and sorrows that families experience all the time.

According to Venerable Maria de Agreda, upon arriving at their home in Nazareth (having returned from their exile), St. Joseph straightaway set out to re-establish himself as a carpenter, opening up his shop to earn a living for his family:

 

The holy Joseph also ordered his occupations and his work so as most worthily to earn sustenance for the divine Child and his mother as well as for himself. That, which in other sons of Adam is considered a punishment and a hardship, was to this holy Patriarch a great happiness. For while others were condemned to sustain their natural life by the labour of their hands in the sweat of their brows, Saint Joseph was blessed and consoled beyond measure to know, that he had been chosen by his labour and sweat to support God himself and his mother. — Venerable Maria de Agreda

As years went by, Joseph, having now established his family and his work in Nazareth, would go on to teach his son in the ways of life. No doubt that he could learn a lot from his son, but Jesus chooses to respect his intelligence, his hard work, his human nature. In renaissance art, Joseph is often depicted in the background, not playing an active part in the life of Christ when the exact opposite would be true. Who would have spent the most time with Christ besides the Blessed Mother? It would be Joseph, his father.

For the first few years of life, the Child Jesus would have been reared mostly

by his mother while his father went off to work. Once the Child Jesus grew to suitable age, St. Joseph would take over and instruct him in the ways of life through work and schooling.

St. Francis de Sales: If princes of this world are most careful in choosing tutors for their sons, taking pains to secure the best that can be found, do you think that God did not select the man who was the most perfectly qualified to be the guardian of his eternal Son, the Lord of heaven and earth?

Joseph would most certainly have taught Christ how to read, how to pray, and how to work just like any other father would. This scholastic view of Joseph as teacher is rarely thought of among the theologians or painted in the arts. However, during the seventeenth century, many artists began to portray him as somewhat of a scholar, with an open book in front of him. In some of these paintings, he is actually pointing to a verse in the book, which we assume is our Holy Scripture, as he gazes at the Child Jesus. What does this mean to us? What is Joseph telling us? He was well aware of the prophecies that spoke of a future Messiah, and the depiction of him with the book while looking at Jesus is telling us that Jesus is in fact the Promised One and his father is showing this to us.

Let us not assume that just because he worked with his hands, he was illiterate and did not take the time to read the words of the prophets. We are told in Scripture that when Jesus came to this earth, he emptied himself and did not cling to his divinity, so as to be like one of us (Philippians2:5-9.) Jesus genuinely willed himself to learn from his father on earth and to grow as any other Jewish boy would. Joseph was a father, guardian, and teacher to his son. This Joseph of ours is both worker and intellectual, and no doubt he passed these ideals on to Christ our Lord.

The Holy Father, Pope Francis, gives us words to meditate on concerning the fatherhood of St. Joseph:

We look at Joseph – as the model of the educator, who safeguards and accompanies Jesus in his journey of growth "in wisdom, years and grace", as the Gospel of Luke tells us. "He was not the father of Jesus, the Father was God, but he was a father to help him grow in years, wisdom and grace.

Let's start with his age, which is the most natural dimension, physical and psychological growth. Joseph, together with Mary, took care of Jesus, first of all from this point of view, he  'raised him', worrying that he had all he needed for a healthy development. Let us not forget that the faithful care of the life of the Child also led to the flight into Egypt, the harsh experience of living as refugees to escape the threat of Herod. Then, once they returned home and settled in Nazareth, there is the long period of the hidden life of Jesus within the Holy Family. During those years, Joseph also taught Jesus his work, Jesus learned to be a carpenter.

Let's move on to the second dimension of Christ's education, that of "wisdom". Scripture says that the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord. Joseph was an example and teacher of this wisdom for Jesus, which he nourished by the Word of God.  We can imagine how Joseph taught the child Jesus to listen to the Holy Scriptures, especially accompanying him on the Sabbath to the synagogue in Nazareth. Joseph accompanied Jesus so he would listen to the word of God in the synagogue.

And finally, the dimension of "grace". Again St. Luke tells us referring to Jesus: "The grace of God was upon him". Here certainly the part reserved to St Joseph is more limited than in the areas of age and wisdom. But it would be a grave mistake to think that a father and a mother do nothing to educate their children to grow in the grace of God.

The mission of St. Joseph is certainly unique and unrepeatable, because Jesus is unique.  However, in his guarding Jesus, educating him to grow in years, wisdom and grace, he is a model for all educators, especially for parents. St. Joseph is the model educator and father, the model for dads.

 — Pope Francis, Homily 19 March 2014       

Proverbs 4:1-7 – Hear, O children, a father’s instruction, be attentive, that you may gain understanding! . . . When I was my father’s child, frail, yet the darling of my mother, he taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart hold fast my words! Keep my commands, do not forget; go not astray from the words of my mouth.”  

♔ THE HOLY FAMILY - REFUGEES ♔

 See, the Lord is riding . . . on his way to Egypt — Isaiah 19:1

St. Alphonsus Liguori: How much St Joseph must have suffered on the journey into Egypt in seeing the sufferings of Jesus and Mary! … Joseph was indeed conformed in all things to the will of the Eternal Father, but his tender and loving heart could not but feel pain in seeing the Son of God trembling and weeping from cold and the other hardships which he experienced on that hard journey.

After many days of hazardous travel, Joseph and his family would finally cross into Egypt, a sigh of relief granted. They were now safe, but as they made their way through Egypt, they received many strange looks from people as they were foreigners and were not to be trusted. Joseph would have had to repeat his actions in Bethlehem. Having to settle in another country, make a home, and find work was beginning to take its toll on St. Joseph.

Everything had happened so quickly since marrying his beloved: first, he had the dilemma of his virgin bride being found expecting, with the Son of God. At that time his heart was full of fear and anxiety until the Angel appeared to him and reassured him. Secondly, once he and Mary were together as husband and wife, he had to travel to Bethlehem for the census. This journey was hard for him, especially since Mary was at the point of giving birth, and having arrived there, they had to find shelter. Once he had found shelter in the cave, and Mary had given birth to our Lord, he had to sleep with one eye open. He was protective of his wife and child and would hear sounds at night, scared that thieves or other criminals might seek to hide there or worse, to rob them of the few possessions they had. After this, Joseph had been told of King Herod’s intentions to have the child executed, and he had to flee with Mary and Jesus in the middle of the night.

He saw the children of Bethlehem in his mind, and he wept for them in his heart. He wept for his wife, whose soul was being pierced at the thought of all those innocents being taken away from their mothers. He wept for his Son, who was being persecuted by a man who had killed even his own sons—King Herod. The steps to Egypt were stained with the tears of Joseph and Mary as they traveled the rough terrain under the hot sun and cold night sky. The child Jesus was carried into a foreign land as a fugitive, though he had committed no crime.

♔ THE IDOLS TOPPLE ♔

The Holy Family arrived in Egypt, not as visitors but as refugees fleeing from their own country, their refuge in the strange land of gods and goddesses. We are told by Servant of God Mother Cecilia Baij that Joseph feared the reception his family might receive from the pagans of this place and, being of a self-sacrificial nature, as every father should be, pleaded for God to spare his spouse and son any mistreatment during their sojourn and to let it fall upon him in their place.

Servant of God Mother Cecilia Baij:  At length, after having endures many trials, Jesus, Mary and Joseph reached their destination in Egypt.  Joseph dreaded this entry into an Egyptian city, inasmuch as there was the impending prospect of definitely settling there     with his spouse and the Divine Infant. He feared that these people, being barbarous and idolatrous, would mistreat both of them. He, therefore, turned to God in fervent supplication, saying:

“Oh my God, grant me the favor that your Only-Begotten Son and his holy mother may never be subjected to such outrages. Look down upon me, as I offer to take everything upon myself. If only they be spared from such adversities. Oh my God, do not permit that they, who are so innocent, so exceedingly virtuous, so rich in merit, shall be mistreated. I deserve every misfortune. Permit, therefore, that these things happen only to me, and not to them.”

Little did the Egyptians know that Joseph and Mary carried the One True God and brought him into their midst. Upon the entry of the Christ Child, the many idols of Egypt trembled and fell causing a panic and sadness among the people, in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah, and confirmed by the mystics:

See, the Lord is riding . . . on his way to Egypt; the idols of Egypt tremble before Him, the hearts of the Egyptians melt within them. — Isaiah 19:1

Servant of God Mother Cecilia Baij:  As they made their entry, the idols to which these blinded people rendered their adoration fell toppling to the ground. This caused a considerable stir among the inhabitants, since no one had any idea what could be bringing this about. How could they know that it was the true God himself who was thus destroying their false gods as he entered into their city?

Venerable Maria de Agreda:  On entering the towns of Egypt the divine Infant, in the arms of his mother, raised his eyes and his hands to the Father asking for the salvation of these inhabitants held captive by Satan. And immediately he made use of his sovereign and divine power and drove the demons from the idols and hurled them to the infernal abyss. Like lightning flashed from the clouds they darted forth and descended to the lowermost caverns of Hell and darkness. At the same instant the idols crashed to the ground, the altars fell to pieces, and the temples crumbled to ruins. ... Saint Joseph knew this to be the work of the incarnate Word; and he praised and extolled him in holy admiration. ... The Egyptian people were astounded at these inexplicable happenings.
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It is believed that the Holy Family did not just settle at the first town or city they encountered, but were constantly on the move in order to find a suitable place of safety. The angel did not tell Joseph how long they would have to stay in exile, so until hearing again from the messenger, they would travel in Egypt. Tradition states that they stayed in Egypt for three years before returning to their homeland and settling in Nazareth.

According to Eastern tradition, Theophilus the Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria from A.D. 385-412 had a vision in which he was shown the Holy Family’s escape route and the many places in Egypt at which they rested. He states that Joseph and his family fled from Bethlehem to Gaza, and then to El-Zaraniq, which is about thirty-eight kilometers west of El-Arish.

♔ RESTS ON THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT ♔

After weeks of further travel, they made plenty of rest stops, among them Matariyah. At this place a tree stands, very simply called “Mary’s Tree.” It was here that they rested in the tree’s shade, and a miracle was performed by the Divine Infant. It is believed that Jesus caused water to flow from a spring, from which they all drank, and afterwards, the Virgin washed his clothes in this water. After washing his clothes, Mary poured the washing water onto the ground from which a sweet smelling balsam plant sprouted. It is there to this day and is said to have curative properties.

This next tradition has been immortalized in many works of art over the centuries. Mary is exhausted and wishes to rest a while in the shade of a tree. She does not want to trouble Joseph—after all he has been doing all of the walking, and yet he does not seek rest until she recommends it. He is totally devoted to his spouse’s comfort and well-being. When the Virgin Mary mentions that she is tired and would like to rest, Joseph acts straightaway—just as he always had. He was given a request and he dutifully complied. This is not to portray St. Joseph as a pushover, but rather as a man who puts his family first in every way. Mary tells him that she is hungry and would like some fruit. The only fruit available is at the top of a very tall date palm tree, and though he would gladly try to climb up there for her, he knows it would be difficult and basically tells her it’s going to be a tough job getting way up there, and perhaps she didn’t realize how high it really was? The Child Jesus, quietly listening to his parents, decides to help them. He commands the tree to bow down to him, which it does, allowing St. Joseph to collect the fruit for Our Lady.

♔ ALTAR TO THE LORD ♔St. Joseph led his family to Mount Qussqam, which would be the most important and most meaningful stop for them in the land of Egypt as it fulfilled yet another prophecy from the Prophet Isaiah:

. . . there shall be an altar to the Lord in the land of Egypt, and a sacred pillar to the Lord near the boundary. It shall be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. — Isaiah 19:19-21


At this place there now stands the Al-Muharraq Monastery, within it the Church of the Virgin Mary, the altar-stone once being the bed upon which the young Jesus slept. This altar-stone is believed to be the fulfillment of part of the Isaiah prophecy. As for the mentioned pillar, it is held to be the Patriarchal See of the Apostolic Church in Egypt, believed to have been established by St. Mark in Alexandria—on Egypt’s Northern border.

♔ LIFE IN EGYPT ♔

While in exile, St. Joseph would no doubt be troubled by the idolatry of Egypt, but we also know that he would pity these people. Joseph began is intercessory role in the land of pagans by praying for their conversion while also doing good deeds for them regardless of their beliefs. Though the exile from his native land would be hard for Joseph, he always had the consolation of his blessed spouse Mary and the Divine Child Jesus.

Servant of God Mother Cecilia Baij:  Joseph was always very much concerned for the conversion of all sinners and would, with great fervor, plead with God in their behalf whenever he found such souls. So, here and now, living as he did among these unbelievers, he therefore, strove all the more to demonstrate his love for his fellow-man. How he longed to have every one of them come to the recognition of the true God! There mere thought that he was abiding in the midst of a people who were ignorant concerning God, and that among them all, there was not one who had knowledge of the true God, much less adored him, would cause the tears to roll down Joseph’s cheeks and his heart to give vent to its feelings through ardent sighs.

… Even though Joseph was so very poor, he still bestowed alms upon the poor. … Though he applied himself diligently to his work, Joseph never failed in the regularity of his prayers. Sometimes he was tired from his strenuous labors, and when he came back to Mary, he would tell her of it. She would place the Infant Jesus in his arms… The happy Joseph would receive him in deepest humility, and embracing him, he would acquire new vigor and be replenished in strength, while his soul would be filled with joy and consolation

♔ MAN OF TRUST ♔

St. Joseph placed his trust in God and knew that He would provide for him—even in the hardest of times when it seemed that the Lord had abandoned him. It is human to sometimes feel that God is no longer with us or that He has stopped listening to us because we feel the need for constant comfort and reassurance. We don’t always get this warm feeling and we often feel like we are left in the cold to fend for ourselves. We assume that many refugees feel this way; those who are forced to run away and go into hiding are afraid. Do we doubt that Joseph ever felt this way? We shouldn’t. Joseph, though especially chosen by God, was also a human being. He was not divine. He did not have special powers. He was a man. A man with human frailties and weaknesses, however he was a man of intense faith! He recognized his need for God’s help and in doing so was elevated in his dignity as a man. Joseph knew that he had only to ask for the necessities of daily life. The carpenter was humble, and every time his family faced hardships, then overcame them, he knew it was because of his God.

I rejoice in the Lord and exult in my saving God! God, my Lord, is my     strength; He makes my feet swift . . . — Habakkuk 3:18-19

Joseph and Mary would spend the next few years in Egypt with their only Son and would eventually get accustomed to their current refugee status and go about their day to day lives. Joseph no doubt thought about the life he had left behind in Israel. Would he ever see his friends and relations again? Did they even know where he and his family were? Probably not since he had been awakened suddenly at night to take the child and His mother and flee into a foreign land. He didn’t have the chance to tell anyone. For all they knew, Jesus had been murdered by Herod’s soldiers along with all the other boys his age. And as for Joseph and Mary, who knows? Though he didn’t preoccupy himself with these thoughts, he still thought about his family and friends back home, however he knew that one day he would be among them.

♔ THE MESSENGER RETURNS ♔

It was reportedly at Al-Muharraq that the messenger Angel came once again to instruct the Lord’s most humble servant. St. Joseph had been waiting for this moment for quite some time and finally it came to him:

Behold an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, and take the child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” So he arose and took the child and his mother, and went into the land of Israel. — St. Matthew 2:19-22
 
Joseph’s paternal heart was overjoyed that he could now bring his son and wife home. However, Herod’s son Archelaus had ascended the throne and was reputed to also be a tyrant. In the Gospel of St. Matthew we are told that Joseph was afraid to return to Judea, the angel appearing to him once more to redirect him to Galilee:

But hearing that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in the place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there; and being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee and settled in a town called Nazareth. — St. Matthew 2:22-23

This passage from Matthew is often passed over quickly without a word or thought, but even this brief scene merits mention. In it we find that Joseph is afraid to return to Judea with his family, fearing that Herod’s successor would seek to destroy his son. Though St. Joseph has faith he still has a temporal fear which is a part of the human condition and the Heavenly Father understands this. So once again the Lord sends his messenger to instruct Joseph on what he is to do. This mention of Joseph’s fear speaks volumes not only about our human frailties but also of God’s compassion. The Heavenly Father allows Joseph to have, to a certain extent, self reliance even if it allows for him to fear. But the Lord is merciful, and so he sends his messenger to advise Joseph on the course he should take, to bring his family safely out of exile.

The entire journey from Bethlehem into Al-Muharraq and back to Nazareth had covered over two thousand kilometers. Joseph, the Just Man, who would have walked the entire way, leading his family into and out of exile, would have taken each step for the greater glory of God. Though the years of exile were built on the foundation of despair, the return home was built on joy. His faith continued to guide him forward.

But the path of the just is like shining light that grows in brilliance till perfect day . . .  Let your eyes look straight ahead and your glance be directly forward. Survey the path for your feet, and let all your ways be sure. — Proverbs 4:19, 25-26