When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. 13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”

“Take the child and his mother” not “take your wife and her son.” This seems to establish a fundamental relationship between Joseph, Mary and Jesus. His primary role seems to be that of caretaker and protector.

In Joseph’s first dream he is told what to name the child. In this, his second dream, he must once again trust and obey God’s word by forsaking comfort and fleeing to Egypt with his two charges. And Mary this time must trust Joseph! We might imagine ourselves in a situation like that saying “and what about what I want?” In hearing God’s word, trusting it and acting on it regardless of the cost Joseph is the model for all Christian men and fathers.