St. John Paul II: Through his complete selfsacrifice, Joseph expressed his generous love for the Mother of God, and gave her a husband’ “gift of self.”

To think about: How can we give the gift of self to our family members? Neighbors? School or work acquaintances?

Also, during this Holy Week, think about how you can continue some of you Lenten sacrifices, perhaps in a smaller way, for those you love.

St. John Paul: “Joseph obeyed the explicit command of the angel and took Mary into his home, while respecting the fact that she belonged exclusively to God.”

To think about: All that we have and all those we love are gifts from God and are ‘on loan’ to us. How can we intentionally be thankful for those we love and other important people in our lives? Think about how knowing that our loved ones belong to God first might change how we treat them.

Pope Francis said: “As Christians, you, too, are called to make a home for Jesus.”

Something to think about this week: How do we make a home for Jesus? – a home for Jesus in our home? – a home for Jesus in our neighborhood or our workplace? – a home for Jesus in our heart and in our lives?

From John Paul II’s Redemptoris Custos: Pope St. John Paul II writes that The only word St. Joseph spoke was his actions. … Our children may not always remember what we say, but what we do will leave a lasting impression on them. This is true also of friends and neighbors. They will remember us by what we do.

To think about: How well do our actions toward others reflect the truth that whatsoever we do to others we do to Jesus? Do we treat others in a way that they will recognize their own great worth as children of God?

From John Paul II’s Redemptoris Custos: Pope St. John Paul writes that Joseph enjoyed great intimacy with Mary and Jesus in their family. The Pope goes on to say that the true meaning of family is “to guard, reveal, and communicate love.”

From St. Joseph and His World by Mike Aquilina. Joseph knew the history of salvation, so he was able to detect God’s pattern. He knew how to recognize sin and its consequences. He could judge falsehood because he had steeped himself, all his life, in the truth of Sacred Scripture and Tradition.

To think about: Do we “steep ourselves” in Sacred Scripture and Tradition? How can we “steep ourselves” in Sacred Scripture and Tradition?

Pope Benedict wrote: St. Joseph’s silence “is a silence permeated by contemplation of the mystery of God, in an attitude of total availability to his divine wishes. In other words, the silence of St Joseph was not the sign of an inner void, but on the contrary, of the fullness of faith he carried in his heart, and which guided each and every one of his thoughts and actions. Let us allow ourselves to be ‘infected’ by the silence of St Joseph! We have much need of it in a world which is often too noisy, which does not encourage reflection and listening to the voice of God."

To think about: “Infected by silence” – what an interesting phrase. How can we cultivate silence in our lives which will allow us to contemplate the mystery of God and to be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit?

Pope Benedict wrote: St. Joseph’s silence “is a silence permeated by contemplation of the mystery of God, in an attitude of total availability to his divine wishes. In other words, the silence of St Joseph was not the sign of an inner void, but on the contrary, of the fullness of faith he carried in his heart, and which guided each and every one of his thoughts and actions. Let us allow ourselves to be ‘infected’ by the silence of St Joseph! We have much need of it in a world which is often too noisy, which does not encourage reflection and listening to the voice of God."

To think about: “Infected by silence” – what an interesting phrase. How can we cultivate silence in our lives which will allow us to contemplate the mystery of God and to be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit?

St. Francis de Sales wrote: Truly, I doubt not that the angels, wondering and adoring, came thronging in countless multitudes to that poor workshop to admire the humility of him who guarded that dear and divine child, and labored at his carpenter’s trade to support the son and mother who were committed to his care.

To think about: Angels are always all around us. When you attend Mass or make a visit to church, the church is full of angels adoring Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Spend some time pondering that next time you are in the church.

One of the titles of St. Joseph is "Savior of the Savior." That title is almost shocking; it refers to the very real protection St. Joseph lovingly and faithfully rendered to Jesus from the earliest moments of his life in the womb, including making the long journey to Egypt to protect Jesus from Herod’s soldiers.

To think about: Can you think of some ways that you can imitate Joseph by ‘protecting’ Jesus? For example, only use the name of Jesus in prayer. Talk about that at home this week.

Pope Francis proclaimed the Year of St. Joseph in an apostolic letter titled Patris Corde, which means “With a Father’s Heart.” Pope Frances writes: “With a Father’s Heart: that is how Joseph loved Jesus, whom all four Gospels refer to as ‘the son of Joseph’… We know that Joseph was a lowly carpenter (cf. Mt 13:55), betrothed to Mary (cf. Mt 1:18; Lk 1:27). He was a ‘just man’ (Mt 1:19), ever ready to carry out God’s will as revealed to him in the Law (cf. Lk 2:22.27.39) and through four dreams (cf. Mt 1:20; 2:13.19.22). After a long and tiring journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, he beheld the birth of the Messiah in a stable, since ‘there was no place for them’ elsewhere (cf. Lk 2:7). He witnessed the adoration of the shepherds (cf. Lk 2:8-20) and the Magi (cf. Mt 2:1-12), who represented respectively the people of Israel and the pagan peoples.”