Prudence is a virtue that we all value and desire
to possess. Let us look at this virtue in St. Joseph.
St. Joseph never acted on impulse. He always
reflected before acting. What husband would not
have put aside his wife without any delay when he
discovered that she was about to give birth to a
child that was not his? Not so St. Joseph. He
waited and pondered and prayed, and gradually
formed the prudent resolve of sending her back in
secret to her friends. Even after deciding on this
plan as the best, he again waited and commended
it to God, turned it over and over in his own mind,
prayed still more before proceeding to act. It was
this prudence of his, this charitable delay, that
earned for him the solution of his doubts by an
Angel's voice.
St. Joseph had intrusted to him the training
of Jesus. The formation of the character of
the Divine Child was committed to him. What
prudence, what perfect prudence must he have
possessed whom God considered as the fit guardian
for the Eternal Word. If I were more prudent,
God would intrust to me greater works to be done
for Him.
Our Lady must have had wonderful confidence
in the prudence of her spouse, when she
arose unhesitatingly at dead of night to fly with
him to Egypt, just because he told her he had had
a dream warning him to do so. But she knew not
only how naturally careful and wise he was, but
that he had an infused and supernatural prudence
that could not be deceived. If I were more prudent, others would trust me more, and listen with
greater confidence to my advice or commands.