joseph

God never caused the virtues and singular merit of Joseph
 to shine with greater splendor 
than when He said to him by the mouth of the angel, 
“Take the Child and His mother”;
 for in them He committed to him 
His most precious treasures,
 giving him thus the preference 
over all the blessed spirits of Heaven;
 and Joseph received these two sacred persons
 into his care, to be their protector, 
their guardian, and defender. 
If, then, Heaven made Joseph 
the protector of Jesus and Mary, 
we may rest assured that he was at the same time
 made protector and patron of all men.

                                 
                                            — Edward Healy Thompson





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