Alphonsus Liguori and Joseph

Today is the Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, who had a great devotion to Joe. I find it very appropriate to share a part of a homily he gave on the Feast of St. Joseph to continue the theme from last week of St. Joseph's fatherhood. You can read the whole homily here (pg. 599-610).

We should indeed honor Saint Joseph, since the Son of God was graciously pleased to honor him, by calling him His Father. "Christ", says Origen, "gave to Joseph the honor due to a parent". He is also thus spoken of in the gospel, "And His father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning Him" - Luke 2:33. The Divine Mother also spoke of him under this name, "Behold Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing" - Luke 2:48. Since, then, the King-of-kings was pleased to raise Joseph to so high a dignity, it is a right, and a duty on our part, to endeavor to honor him as much as we can. "He indeed should be greatly honored by men, whom the King-of-kings has been pleased thus to exalt". "What Angel or Saint", says Saint Basil, "ever merited to be called the father of the Son of God? Joseph alone was thus called". Hence we can well apply to Saint Joseph the words of Saint Paul, "Being made so much better than the Angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they" - Hebrews 1:4. Saint Joseph was more honored by God, in this name of father, than all the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and Pontiffs; for all these have name of servants, Joseph alone that of father.

Behold him, as father, made lord of that little family; little in point of numbers, but great on account of the two great personages who composed it, i.e. the Mother of God, and the only-begotten Son of God made man: "He made him master of His house" - Psalm 104:21. Joseph commanded in that house, and the Son of God obeyed, "And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them" - Luke 2:51. "This subjection", says Gerson, "whilst it shows the humility of Jesus Christ, also shows the greatness of the dignity of Saint Joseph". "And to what greater dignity, to what higher degree of exaltation", continues the same writer, "can a person be raised, than to that of commanding Him Who commands all kings?"
Joshua excited the admiration of the whole world when he commanded the sun to stop in its course, that he might have time to conquer his enemies; and it obeyed, "the Lord obeying the voice of a man" - Joshua 10:14. But what comparison can there be between Joshua, whom the sun, an inanimate creature, obeyed, and Joseph, who was obeyed by Jesus Christ, the Son of God? As long as Saint Joseph lived, Jesus Christ respected him as a father, and until his death, that is for thirty years, always obeyed him as such, "He was subject to them". So that during all those years the constant occupation of the Savior was to obey Saint Joseph. During the whole of that time it was Joseph's charge to command, as the head of the family; and the office of Jesus was, as a subject, to obey Saint Joseph, who had been given to Him by God in place of a father. Hence, on the one hand, Jesus performed no action, did not even take a step, tasted no food, took no repose, but by the orders of Saint Joseph; and on the other, was all attention in listening to and executing all that Saint Joseph imposed upon Him. Our Blessed Lady said to Saint Bridget, "My Son was so obedient, that when Joseph said 'Do this' or 'Do that', He immediately did it". Hence John Gerson writes, "He often prepared the food and drink, washed the vessels, brought water from the fountain, and swept the house". Saint Bernard, speaking of Saint Joseph, says, "He was a faithful and prudent servant, whom our Lord made the solace of His Mother, the nourisher of His humanity, and, in fine', the only most faithful cooperator in the great council on Earth". 

Therefore, Saint Joseph was not only destined as a relief to the Mother of God, who had so many tribulations on Earth; not only was he the supporter of Jesus Christ, but he was also destined to cooperate, in a way, in the redemption of the world, for this was the work of the great council of the Three Divine Persons. God having also given him to His Son in the place of a father, He at the same time charged him to feed and defend His Son from the snares of His enemies, "Take the Child"; as if He had addressed him in the words of the Psalmist, "To thee is the poor man left; thou wilt be a helper to the orphan" - Psalm 9:14. Joseph, I have sent My Son on Earth; and Ihave sent Him poor and humble, without the splendor of riches or apparent nobility; hence, in the world, He will be despised, and called the Son of a carpenter, "Is not this the carpenter's Son?" - Matthew 13:55, according to thy humble trade; for I have willed that thou shouldst be poor, because I have destined thee to hold the place of a father over My Son, Who is poor; for He is not come to reign in the world, but to suffer and die for the salvation of men. On Earth, then, thou wilt hold My place of father over Him, and be His guardian, "To thee is the poor man left; thou wilt be a helper to the orphan". I abandon Him into thy hands. He will be persecuted, and thou wilt have to share in His sufferings; guard Him with care, and be thou faithful to Me. "Therefore", says Saint John Damascen, "God gave Saint Joseph the love, the care, the authority of a father over Jesus; He gave him the affection of a father, that he might guard Him with great love; the solicitude of a father, that he might watch over Him with care; and the authority of a father, that he might feel sure that he would be obeyed in all that he arranged as to the Person of this Son".