Holy St. Joseph, spouse of Mary, etc., etc.
In Egypt, so tradition has it, Joseph had to labor for others in order to bring in the means of a livelihood for himself and the Holy Family. Even then their income was by no means superfluous, and according to St. Liguori they often had to suffer actual want. In this manner Joseph spent eight years in Egypt. When he was recalled by the voice of the angel, he settled in Nazareth; though his circumstances there were probably better, they were by no means luxurious. Bossuet says: "Imagine a poor laborer, who had no other fortune than the labor of his willing hands, no other means of subsistence but his work. Every day he saw the end of his provision, and he had to begin again on the following day, like our poor working people. Still he was rich in contentment; he had enough, because he had nothing which might be coveted by others; he possessed all because he stood in need of everything; he was happy, quiet, secure, although he had no place whereon to rest his head. He was continually constrained to labor with the sweat of his brow. He divided all his income with Jesus and Mary. Was it not a consolation for him to do this? even according to our weak reason, guided by religion."
Holy St. Joseph, spouse of Mary, etc., etc.
When we have contemplated the willing poverty of Joseph, the thought naturally comes to us to imitate him in the practise of this virtue. Poverty makes us like to the Lord. Our Lord walks before us with giant strides in the practise of this virtue. The rich, burdened with the goods of this world, can hardly follow Him. Let us consider that, after all, our happiness is not to be found in the possession of wealth. He is happy, according to St. Augustine, who possesses what he wants, and who wants nothing beyond what God has sent him. The rich are frequently unhappy, because they are carried along to desire the things which they cannot reach. Not only is poverty a source of virtue and of peace; but also it is a means by which we can make progress in our perfection. For as avarice is the source of all evils, so also poverty is the power by which all our vices are corrected, and held in check. This virtue watches over humility: a virtue so very necessary to our perfection, and it preserves chastity by reason of the mortification of our senses.