Thought for the Day – 22 March – St Joseph as Head of the Holy Family

Thought for the Day – 22 March – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

“Short Meditations for March, St Joseph”
From “The Devout Year”
By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

22nd Day – St Joseph as Head of the Holy Family

+1. The dignity of any Office of Authority, is in proportion to the excellence of those over whom such authority is exercised.
What then must have been the dignity and perfection of St Joseph? To rule over the Angels would be a small privilege compared with the privilege of ruling God Himself and His holy Mother!
What prudence, what discretion, what purity of intention, what perfect unselfishness, what intense love of God and of men, must have been found in St Joseph! How humble he must have been, how thoughtful, how kind, how considerate, how wise, how faithful to God’s holy inspirations! Next to Our Lady, it is impossible to suppose that any Saint could approach the dignity of St Joseph!

+2. Watch St Joseph as a superior.
Notice how he gives his orders, firmly and decidedly, without hesitation but yet, kindly and gently and considerately. St Joseph had to command others besides Jesus and Mary. To all he showed the same thoughtful, tender, watchful affection and respect.
Am I like St Joseph in dealing with those over whom I am placed?

+3. Our Lord obeyed St Joseph with the most perfect , unquestioning obedience. He, as Man, was St Joseph’s natural superior; He , in His Sacred Humanity, had Authority over all creation. He, therefore, the Lord of all, raised St Joseph to be lord over Himself. This, exalts still
more, the position of St Joseph, who derived his authority over Jesus by Our Lord’s own choice of him.
Thus Jesus teaches us the happiness of obedience. To be subject is no degradation but rather, a privilege, since Jesus Himself chose it!