As our father, we can 'go to Joseph' for any need we have. But he is especially recognized as the patron saint for fathers and families. And it is easy to see why. Joseph is father, though virginal, to Jesus. And Joseph is the head of the Holy Family. All families are to mirror the Holy Family and the head of the Holy Family is the perfect person to help us do so.

As broken as we are, and families too, we can have a hard time believing that we can mirror the Holy Family. After all, one of the persons within the Holy Family is God. But Jesus said, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners." [Mark 2:17] Jesus lowered Himself to be One of us, in order to save us. And being God, He has the power to restore our brokenness... if we allow Him to. And as Jesus lowered Himself under Joseph's patronage within a family, we can be assured of Joseph's assistance for all families. If God could have found someone more fit to do so, surely God would have used that man, but there was none more fit than Joseph.

The brokenness of families and society is more related to the brokenness of fathers as research indicates. But we see this with our own eyes. And that is why now is a perfect time to call upon the patron of fathers. It is Joseph's duty and honor given by God to guard, protect, and support fathers. As St Paul acknowledges that all fatherhood comes from God the Father, "the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named." [Ephesians 3:14-15] For God the Father to give such a unique and crucial role to be patron of fathers, the Father is calling upon Joseph to once again bring about God's Fatherhood on earth. First Joseph did so in the Holy Family and now he does so in each family. But we need to ask. "[E]veryone who asks, receives." [Matthew 7:8]

Joseph, help all fathers to mirror the Heavenly Father, not in majesty and power, but in fatherly love; a love that changes all families into mirrors of the Holy Family. May this sacrificial love change our society and restore our brokenness. Amen.