A Hero for the ages
What is the role of father? In the image above you can see some of the roles he ordained for us.
We see Joseph, the earthly father of Christ standing watch over Christ. The cloak is on showing us he is ready to move in any direction God ordains. His staff in hand serves as an extra support with the ground, keeping him in touch with the reality of natural law. It also serves as a weapon, to protect his charges and extend his reach using the wisdom of God to make tools with the knowledge he bestows on us through revelation. Joseph did his duty to provide shelter for his wife, so she could for fill the task of providing a home for their son. Together they made an environment welcoming angels into their home as messengers of God's wisdom. I can feel in this moment Joseph already thinking of presenting this gift of our savior to our Lord in the temple of Jerusalem...here he participates in the wonderful reciprocation of salvation history by Christ becoming man. God gives us the gift of Christ, and Joseph presents it right back!
Finally we see a child coming to the Holy Family. It is our job as fathers to bring our children to Christ, teach them the words of wisdom Christ. This should occur in a quiet place, where Christ can speak to them without all the distractions of the world. I put the child in focus, because our children are the focus of our fatherly mission on earth. The Holy Family, through recognizable is out of focus to everyone except the child. The refinement a child's view on the mysteries of God is a gift of grace given by God alone, and greatly enhanced by a father living out the natural calling exemplified by St. Joseph. A natural calling which also includes praying for the child to receive those graces with all our hearts with every step we take.
Like everything else on the road to heaven, this is not something we can do alone. We can only do when we walk with God before us, behind us, to our left, to our right and inside us.