Whoever wishes to save himself, find shelter in his Father’s house, and preserve the precious gifts of nature and grace which God has bestowed upon him, has only to model his soul according to the eternal doctrine of the Gospel and the Church, thus following the beloved example of St. Joseph’s humble life.
To learn to obey, to learn to keep silence, to speak when need arises with moderation and courtesy – this is what St. Joseph teaches us. Think of him – setting out at once for Bethlehem, in obedience to the divine command; seeking a lodging for Our Lady, guarding the stable. A week after the birth of Jesus he presided over the Hebrew rite that marked the newborn male children as belonging to the chosen race. And we see him receiving with due honor the Magi kings, those splendid ambassadors from the East; then on the road to Egypt, and once more back home in Nazareth, always obeying in silence.
He was there to show Jesus to the world, and to hide him when need arose, to protect and nourish him, and then to follow him at a distance and remain in the shadows of the Lord’s mysteries, shadows which were every now and then lit with heavenly radiance by the light touch of a passing angel.
Source: Prayers and Devotions from Pope John XXIII, pp. 84-85.
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