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 The Providence  of  God.  Jesus  was  not  to  die  before  the  appointed time; therefore  God’s  Providence  watched  over  Him  and  saved  Him from the  snares  of  His  enemies  Herod  and  Archelaus,  making  use  of His  holy  angels  for  that  purpose. God’s Providence  watches  over  us also,  and,  without  His  leave,  not  a hair  of  our  head  can  fall. Moreover, His holy  angel  keeps  guard  over  us.

The Foster-father  of  our  Lord  Jesus.  The  angel  said  to  St.  Joseph: “Take the  Child  and  His  Mother.”  He  did  not  say:  “Take  My  Child”, for St. Joseph was  not  the  father,  but  only  the  foster-father  of  our  Lord. The angel,  moreover,  placed  the  name  of  the  Child  before  that  of  the Mother, He  being  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God.

St. Joseph’s  high  place  in  the  kingdom  of  God  comes  from  this, that God  chose  him  to  be  the  guardian  and  protector  of  His  Son,  entrusting him  with  what  was  greatest  and  dearest  to  Himself,  singling  him out and  especially  blessing  him  for  this  office. The Church  celebrates a Feast in  honour  of  St.  Joseph  on  March  19th,  and  desires  that  all  the faithful should  honour  him,  ask  for  his  intercession,  and  imitate  his virtues. St. Joseph is  the  especial  patron  of  the  Church. Even as  he was  the  protector  of  the  Child  Jesus  on  earth,  so,  we  believe,  is  he now  the  protector  of  the  mystical  Body  of  Jesus,  His  holy  Church. We also especially  seek  his  intercession  for  a good  death,  because,  having died so  blessedly,  in  the  presence  and  with  the  assistance  of  Jesus  and Mary, he  should  be  supplicated  to  obtain  for  us  from  Jesus  the  grace of a happy  death.

''The virtues  of  St. Joseph'' corresponded  to  his  high  calling. He gives us  a splendid  example  of  a firm  and  living  faith,  of  great  confidence in  God,  resignation,  obedience,  humility,  chastity  and  industry.

The faith  and  obedience  of  Mary  and  Joseph.  Many  thoughts  might have occurred  to  them  when  commanded  to  flee  into  Egypt. “If’, they might  have  said  to  themselves,  “the  Child  is  the  Son  of  God, why is  He  so  helpless? Why should  the  Son  of  the  Almighty  flee before the  wicked  king? Why did  not  the  angel  say  how  long  we  were to remain  in  the  pagan  country? How can  we  undertake  such  a long and dangerous  journey  without  any  preparation?”  However,  they  gave no ear  to  any  such  thoughts,  but  obeyed  the  divine  commands  precisely and promptly,  and  started  forth,  filled  with  confidence  in  God  and  submission to  His  holy  will. They knew  very  well  that  God  could  have taken care  of  the  Child  in  some  other  way,  if  He  had  so  willed  it;  but as it  was  His  will  that  the  Child  should  be  saved  by  flight,  they consented willingly,  although  it  was  very  painful  to  them  to  leave  their own country,  the  Promised  Land,  and  to  expose  the  Child  to  so  many privations.

Anger is  a capital  sin.  It  led  Herod  to  murder  a number  of  innocent children,  and  to  commit  a sin  crying  to  heaven  for  vengeance. He committed  as  many  sins  of  this  description  as  there  were  children!