When the appointed time was come, St.
Joseph received the joyful news that the Holy
Family at length was to return from their place
of banishment. An Angel appeared to him by
night and informed him that Herod was dead, and
that he might safely return into the land of Israel.
But when he arrived there he found that the tyrant
had been succeeded by his son Archelaus and that
Judaea, over which he held sway, was therefore no
safe abode for Jesus and Mary. What a bitter
disappointment it must have been!
It seemed as if St. Joseph had been deceived
by Almighty God. He was encouraged to return,
and now he found that the place of the dead
King was occupied by a son who was not much
better than his father. Yet no thought of discontent was harbored in St. Joseph's heart; not the
faintest murmur of complaint escaped his lips.
His was the true obedience--confiding, unreasoning, uncomplaining obedience to the will of
God. Can I say the same of myself?
Observe St. Joseph's prudence. He might have
said that the command to return was a sort of
guarantee from Almighty God of his safety. In
spite of this, he took the most extreme natural
precautions, going far away from the place of
danger. He knew that God requires us to use all
natural means to gain our ends, and if we neglect
them, we cannot reasonably trust to the supernatural intervention of God on our behalf.