St. Francis de Sales on St. Joseph the Valiant

Tapestry of the Holy Family being visited by the shepherds in Bethlehem,
sacristy of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Catholic Church, Washington, DC.
(The following is excerpted from St. Francis de Sales's Conference XIX, The Virtues of St. Joseph, as cited on page 187 of "Reflection of Saint Francis de Sales on Living Jesus," published by the Fraternity Group of the Association of St. Francis de Sales)

"There is no doubt that St. Joseph was more valiant than David and more wise than Solomon; nevertheless, seeing him so humbly working in his carpenter shop, who would have imagined (unless enlightened supernaturally) that he was endowed by God with such marvelous gifts, so closely and so carefully did he keep them concealed! But what must not his wisdom have been, seeing that God committed to his charge His all-glorious Son and chose him to be His guardian! If earthly princes consider it a matter of such great importance to select carefully a tutor fit for their children, think you that the Eternal God in His almighty power and wisdom would not chose from out of the whole of His creation the most perfect man living to be the guardian of His divine and most glorious Son, the Prince of heaven and earth?"

"There is, then, no doubt all [that] St. Joseph was endowed with all gifts and graces required by the charge which the Eternal Father willed to commit to him, over all the temporal and domestic concerns of Our Lord and the guidance of his family, which was compromised of three persons only, representing to us the mystery of the most holy and adorable Trinity. Not that there is any real comparison in this matter excerpting as regards Our Lord, Who is one of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity, for the others were but creatures; yet still we may say that it was a trinity on earth representing in some sort the most holy Trinity --- Mary, Jesus, and Joseph; Joseph, Jesus, and Mary --- a trinity worth indeed to be honored and greatly esteemed."