CHAPTER VI
On the gifts of the two blessings of Balaam
It is read in Numbers, chapters 23 and 24, that Balak, king of the Moabites, summoned Balaam by messengers, so that he might curse the people of Israel, who were about to fight against him. But he, moved by the Spirit of God, four times did not curse them, but rather blessed them. Now the first blessing looked to the present state of the people of Israel at that time; the second, to the past; the third, to the future; but the fourth expressed rather the cause of the blessings than a new blessing. The first, therefore, is expressed in these words, Numbers 23: “From the tops of the rocks I shall see him, and from the hills I shall consider him. A people dwelling alone, and not reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and know the number of the offspring of Israel? Let my soul die the death of the just, and let my last end be like theirs.” This blessing, in a mystical sense, explains the happy life of the most perfect man. Of this there are five conditions.
The first is the loftiness of one’s manner of life. And this is twofold: either by imitation of the angels, whence he says, “From the tops of the rocks”; or by the example of holy men, who are accustomed in the Divine Scriptures to be called by the name of “hills.” This manner of life, moreover, is strengthened and perfected by the contemplation of God. Therefore it follows: “I shall consider him.”
The second condition is separation from evils, whether they be demons or men. This is set down there: “A people dwelling alone.”
The third condition of the most perfect life is the perfection of actions, whether they be interior or exterior. For exterior actions are always turbulent with the dust of earthly things, according to that saying of the Savior: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things.” But the interior is clear and one, and brings forth many things, according to that saying of the Psalm: “Day to day utters speech.” This, moreover, is more rightly signified by the name Israel, but the exterior by Jacob. Hence it is said: “Who can count the dust of Jacob, and know the number of the offspring of Israel?”
For this reason, the fourth condition is the multiplication of seed, that is, of the spirit, which has been declared.
The fifth is rest at the end. And this is twofold: a good death and beatification. Therefore it follows: “Let my soul die the death of the just, and let my last end be like theirs.”
Now the aforesaid blessings most excellently befit Saint Joseph. For he was of angelic manner of life, because of his God-like virtue, immunity from sin, and heavenly virginity. For to live in the flesh beyond the flesh is not human but angelic. And the first necessarily brings the second with it. Likewise, the excellence of actions, whether interior or exterior, was found in Saint Joseph, because of his companionship with Christ and the Blessed Virgin, because of his singular love for them, and because of his faithful service. This, too, the fourth followed, which is the multiplication of spirits, by which he attained angelic, virginal, and divine familiarity. Finally he rested in a happy end, because of the efficacy of his most holy life, because of the presence of Christ and the Blessed Virgin, and because of true patience in sickness. From which it is clear that Saint Joseph obtained more splendid fruits of Balaam’s first blessing than the people of Israel themselves.
The second blessing is explained in these words, Numbers chapter 23: “There is no idol in Jacob, nor is there seen an image in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of the king’s victory is in him. The Lord brought him out of Egypt: his strength is like that of the rhinoceros. There is no augury in Jacob, nor divination in Israel. In their times it shall be said in Jacob and in Israel what God has wrought. Behold, the people shall rise like a lioness, and shall lift itself up like a lion. It shall not lie down until it devours the prey and drinks the blood of the slain.” This blessing, in a magnificent allegorical sense, befits Saint Joseph. But it contains many parts, of which each must be spoken of separately.
The first is sincere worship: for Saint Joseph was never stained by idolatry.
The second is the divine presence; therefore it is fittingly said: “The Lord his God is with him,” and in wondrous and unusual ways, even venerable to the angels themselves. For God was with him as a son with his father, as an infant with his nourisher, as one subject with his superior.
The third is knowledge of the works of God; hence it is added: “And the shout of the king’s victory is in him.” This victory was that by which Christ triumphed over the devil, when the Lord said: “Now the prince of this world shall be cast out.” This shout was heard by Joseph through deep knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures, through the revelation of angels, and through the vision and touching of the outward senses.
The fourth is divine assistance in tribulations, which Joseph experienced in the flight from the face of Herod, in the stay in Egypt, and in the return to the land of Israel. Wherefore it follows: “His strength is like that of the rhinoceros.” For this animal, endowed by nature with a single horn on its forehead, is found to be most strong and to surpass the other quadrupeds.
The fifth is the supreme purity of heart, by which he trusted in the Lord with all the desires of his soul, despising those aids which are opposed to the divine will. About the future he was in no way anxious, except insofar as things depended on the clear will of God. But many mortals are accustomed to suffer from this fault, because, weighed down by sins, they seek the help of foreign gods. They worship idols in ignorance, because they judge the true God to be their enemy. Hence among them flourish the worship of gold, the exaltation of a proud mind, and delight in earthly things. They wander through curious doctrines so that they may know what is to come concerning themselves. But with Joseph there was never any idol, because he desired nothing earthly except for the will of God. He shuddered at auguries, because with unshaken mind he believed that his God had care of all things. And since he knew this same God, immortal, as the maker, governor, and provider of all, he rightly overthrew divinations.
The sixth is certain knowledge of his own virtues. For a fuller understanding of this, it must be noted that the knowledge of spiritual things which is had by the common way of faith, and not by a special elevation or illumination of the mind by God, that is, knowledge of spiritual things not directly pertaining to human salvation, is had over a long succession of times, so that faith may have its place and the same things may be believed more firmly, as was evident in the knowledge of the Holy Trinity, in the manner of the Incarnation of the Word of God, in the knowledge of the most high dignity of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the authority of the Roman Pontiff. For if the newborn Church had been a scrutinizer of such great mysteries, it would perhaps have been crushed by glory. Therefore what was sufficient then was done for the human commonwealth, with some knowledge of the inner manner. The same happens concerning the excellence of the sanctity of Saint Joseph. For it lay hidden from the faithful, content with the name of spouse of the Blessed Virgin, foster-father of the Son of God, and his supposed father. Yet in these we can behold the modes of the height of that same sanctity, at least by a vision mixed with darkness, that is, in general. But “in their times it shall be said in Jacob,” that is, among the faithful devoted to the active life; “and in Israel,” namely among contemplatives distinguished by talent and endowed with learning, “what God has wrought in Saint Joseph.” And rightly and thoughtfully it is said: “in him,” because the things done outside him became known together with the knowledge of the Word of God made flesh; but the things done in him only in their times, which are the last times, in which the Holy Roman Church has consented that Saint Joseph, spouse of the most Blessed Virgin, be venerated with public solemnities. I myself know volumes, simple indeed but of good men; I have also seen men endowed with talent strive with all the efforts of their soul that in their times it might be said what God has done in Saint Joseph.
The last part will be a great exultation in the Church militant because of the certain knowledge of the sanctity of Saint Joseph. For the Holy Spirit will not cease from moving the hearts of the faithful, until the whole dominion of the Church militant, exulting, shall pursue the divine Joseph with a new veneration, shall found monasteries, churches, and shall erect altars in his honor. These things, moreover, are mystically designated by fitting images.
Topic: The age of St. Joseph (Read 76598 times)