When God bade St. Joseph arise and take the
Child and His Mother and fly into Egypt, He was
committing unto him, under the guise of Jesus
and Mary, the care of the Universal Church. As
to Mary were entrusted all Christians in the words:
"Woman, behold thy son," so to St. Joseph in the
Angel's message. He was to be our guardian and
protector. He was to keep us safe in the dangerous
journey of life; he was to console us and care
for us in darkness and sorrow while we wait in this
land of exile for the summons to our true home.
Joseph, too, is to bring us safely into the promised
land at last. O holy St. Joseph, be my friend and
my protector and my keeper, amid all difficulties
and dangers and temptations.
St. Joseph has care of the Church, the mystical
Body of Christ, as he had care of the mortal
Body of Jesus. He has to watch over it and guard
its temporal interests. He has to defend it against
the bitter enemies who seek its destruction. How
often he has driven them back! How often, when
all seemed lost, he has restored to the Church of
God peace and prosperity! No weapon aimed
against it can harm it, for God has given to St.
Joseph the privilege of keeping it ever safe.
St. Joseph is also the protector of all his
clients. In their temporal affairs how trusty a
friend, saving them in circumstances apparently
hopeless. In spiritual necessities how prompt to
aid, how unfailing in resource. O trust in St.
Joseph, wait patiently for him, and he will obtain
for thee the desire of thy heart!