Author Topic: Solemnity of St. Joseph (Read 1104 times)

Binechi · « **on:** May 03, 2017, 07:20:56 AM »

St. Joseph, Head of the Holy Family, Pray for us

[size=+3]T[/color][size=+1]E[/size], Joseph, celebrent agmina caelitum, te cuncti resonent Christiadum chori, qui, clarus meritis, iunctus es inclitae, casto foedere Virgini.[/size]	[size=+3]J[/color][size=+1]OSEPH[/size]! to thee by hosts on high and choirs of Christians, laud be paid! saintly of life, by purest tie joined unto her, the glorious Maid.[/size]
Almo cuм tumidam germine coniugem admirans dubio tangeris anxius, afflatu superi Flaminis, Angelus conceptum puerum docet.	When thou didst doubt thy wife's repute, and mark her great with motherhood, the angel taught thee that her fruit came from the Holy Ghost of God.
Tu natum Dominum stringis, ad exteras Aegypti profugum tu sequeris plagas; amissum Solymis quaeris et invenis, miscens gaudia fletibus.	To clasp the Son, the Lord, was thine, to share His flight to Egypt's shore, with tears, to seek in Salem's shrine Him lost, with joy, to find once more.
Electos reliquos mors pia consecrat^[size=-2]1[/sup] palmamque emeritos gloria suscipit; tu vivens, Superis par, frueris Deo, mira sorte beatior.[/size]	Death brings to other Saints their rest; through toil they win the victor's place; thou happier, like the Angels blest, alive, hast seen God face to face.
Nobis, summa Trias, parce precantibus; da Joseph meritis sidera scandere, ut tandem liceat nos tibi perpetim gratum promere canticuм. Amen.	Spare us, O Trinity most High! grant that, with Joseph, we may gain Thy starry realm, and ceaselessly there raise to Thee our thankful strain. Amen.

Binechi · « **Reply #1 on:** May 03, 2017, 07:26:39 AM »

http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/Solemnity%20of%20St.%20Joseph%20popup.html

Hymn: Te, Joseph, celebrent

O Joseph, heavenly hosts thy worthiness proclaim,
And Christendom conspires to celebrate thy fame,
Thou who in purest bonds wert to the Virgin bound;
How glorious is thy name renowned.

Thou, when thou didst behold thy Spouse about to bear,
Wert sore oppressed with doubt, wert filled with wondering care;
At length the Angel's word thy anxious heart relieved:
She by the spirit hath conceived.

Thou with thy newborn Lord didst seek far Egypt's land,
As wandering pilgrims ye fled o'er the desert sand;
That Lord, when lost, by thee is in the Temple found,
While tears are shed, and joys abound.

Not till death's hour is past do other men obtain
The meed of holiness, and glorious rest attain;
Thou, like to Angels made, in life completely blest,
Dost clasp thy God unto thy breast.

O Holy Trinity, Thy suppliant servants spare;
Grant us to rise to heaven for Joseph's sake and prayer,
And so our grateful hearts to Thee shall ever raise
Exulting canticles of praise. Amen

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Novena to St. Joseph for his Solemnity
(Can be said for 30 Days or as a 9 day Novena)

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O Glorious Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, to thee do we raise our hearts and hands, to implore thy powerful intercession in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all the helps and graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the favor we now implore

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(Add your petition here)

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O Glorious St. Joseph! Through the love thou bearest to Jesus Christ and for the glory of His name, hear our prayers and obtain our petitions. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist us!

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Indulgenced Prayers in honor of St. Joseph

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Grant, O holy Joseph, that, ever secure under thy protection, we may pass our lives without sin.

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(Indulgence of 300 days.)

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St. Joseph, foster-father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and true spouse of Mary ever Virgin, pray for us.

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(Indulgence of 300 days.)

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St. Joseph, model and patron of those who love the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us.

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(Indulgence of 300 days.)

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The Patronage of Saint Joseph
(by Fr. Prosper Gueranger 1870)

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The Easter mysteries are superseded today by a special subject, which is offered for our consideration. The holy Church invites us to spend this Sunday in honouring the Spouse of Mary, the Foster-Father of the Son of God. And yet, as we offered him the yearly tribute of our devotion on the 19th of March, it is not, properly speaking, his Feast that we are to celebrate today. It is a solemn expression of gratitude offered to Joseph, the Protector of the Faithful, the refuge and support of all that invoke him with confidence. The innumerable favours he has bestowed upon the world entitle him to this additional homage. With a view to her children's interests, the Church would, on this day, excite their confidence in this powerful and ever ready helper.

Devotion to St. Joseph was reserved for these latter times. Though based on the Gospel, it was not to be developed in the early ages of the Church. It is not that the Faithful were, in any way, checked from showing honour to him who had been called to take so important a part in the mystery of the Incarnation; but Divine Providence had its hidden reasons for retarding the Liturgical homage to be paid, each year, to the Spouse of Mary. As on other occasions, so here also; the East preceded the West in the special cultus of St. Joseph: but, in the 15th Century, the whole Latin Church adopted it, and, since that time, it has gradually gained the affections of the Faithful. We have treated upon the glories of St. Joseph, on the 19th of March; the present Feast has its own special object, which we will at once proceed to explain.

The goodness of God and our Redeemer's fidelity to His promises have ever kept pace with the necessities of the world; so that, in every age, appropriate and special aid has been given to the world for its maintaining the supernatural life. An uninterrupted succession of seasonable grace has been the result of this merciful dispensation, and each generation has had given to it a special motive for confidence in its Redeemer. Dating from the 13th century, when, as the Church herself assures us, the world began to grow cold (Frigescente mundo. Collect for the feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis), each epoch has had thrown open to it a new source of graces. First of all came the Feast of the Most Blessed Sacrament, with its successive developments of Processions, Expositions, Benedictions and the Forty Hours. After this, followed the devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus, (of which St. Bernardine of Sienna was the chief propagator,) and that of Via Crucis or Stations of the Cross, with its wonderful fruit of compunction. The practice of frequent Communion was revived in the 16th century, owing principally to the influence of St. Ignatius and the Society founded by him. In the 17th, was promulgated the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which was firmly established in the following century. In the 19th, devotion to the Holy Mother of God has made such progress, as to form one of the leading supernatural characteristics of the period. The Rosary and Scapular, which had been handed down to us in previous ages, have regained their place in the affections of the people; Pilgrimages to the Sanctuaries of the Mother of God, which had been interrupted by the influence of Jansenism and rationalism, have been removed; the Archconfraternity of the Sacred Heart of Mary has spread throughout the whole world; numerous miracles have been wrought in reward for the fervent faith of individuals; in a word, our present century has witnessed the triumph of the Immaculate Conception, a triumph which had been looked forward to for many previous ages.

Now, devotion to Mary could never go on increasing as it has done, without bringing with it a fervent devotion to St. Joseph. We cannot separate Mary and Joseph, were it only for their having such a close connection with the mystery of the Incarnation: Mary, as being the Mother of the Son of God; and Joseph, as being guardian of the Virgin's spotless honour, and Foster-Father of the Divine Babe. A special veneration for St. Joseph was the result of increased devotion to Mary. Nor is this reverence for Mary's Spouse to be considered only as a just homage paid to his admirable prerogatives: it is, moreover, a fresh and exhaustless source of help to the world, for Joseph has been made our Protector by the Son of God Himself. Hearken to the inspired words of the Church's Liturgy: "Thou, O Joseph! art the delight of the Blessed, the sure hope of our life, and the pillar of the world (Caelitum, Joseph, decus atque nostrae; Certa spes vitae, columenque mundi. Hymn for Lauds of the Patronage of St. Joseph.)! Extraordinary as is this power, need we be surprised at its being given to a man like Joseph, whose connections with the Son of God on earth were so far above those of all other men? Jesus deigned to be subject to Joseph here below; now that He is in heaven, He would glorify the creature, to whom he consigned the guardianship of His own childhood and His Mother's honour. He has given him a power, which is above our calculations. Hence it is, that the Church invites us, on this day, to have recourse, with unreserved confidence, to this all-powerful Protector. The world we live in is filled with miseries which would make stronger hearts than ours quake with fear: but, let us invoke St. Joseph with faith, and we shall be protected. In all our necessities, whether of soul or body, in all the trials and anxieties we may have to go through, let us have recourse to St. Joseph, and we shall not be disappointed. The king of Egypt said to his people, when they were suffering from famine: go to Joseph (Gen. xli. 55.)! the King of Heaven says the same to us: the faithful guardian of Mary has greater influence with God, than Jacob's son had with Pharaoh.

As usual, God revealed this new spiritual aid to a privileged soul, that she might be the instrument of its propagation. It was thus that were instituted several Feasts, such as those of Corpus Christi, and of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the 16th century, St. Teresa, (whose Writings were to have a world-wide circulation,) was instructed by heaven as to the efficacy of devotion to St. Joseph: she has spoken of it in the Life, (written by herself,) of Teresa of Jesus. When we remember, that it was by the Carmelite Order, (brought into the Western Church, in the 13th century,) that this devotion was established among us, we cannot be surprised that God should have chosen St. Teresa, who was the Reformer of that Order, to propagate the same devotion in this part of the world. The holy solitaries of Mount Carmel, devoted as they had been, for so many centuries, to the love of Mary, were not slow in feeling the connection that exists between the honour paid to the Mother of God and that which is due to her virginal Spouse. The more we understand St. Joseph's office, the clearer will be our knowledge of the divine mystery of the Incarnation. As when the Son of God assumed our human nature, He would have a Mother; so also, would He give to this Mother a protector. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, these are the three whom the ineffable mystery is continually bringing before our minds.

The words of St. Teresa are as follows: "I took for my patron and lord the glorious St. Joseph, and recommended myself earnestly to him. I saw clearly that he rendered me greater services than I knew how to ask for. I cannot call to mind that I have ever asked him at any time for any thing which he has not granted; and I am filled with amazement when I consider the great favours which God hath given me through this blessed Saint; the dangers from which he hath delivered me, both of body and soul. To other Saints, our Lord seems to have given grace to succour men in some special necessity; but to this glorious Saint, I know by experience, to help us in all: and our Lord would have us understand that, as He was Himself subject to Him upon earth, for St. Joseph having the title of father, and being His guardian, could command Him, so now in heaven He performs all his petitions. I have asked others to recommend themselves to St. Joseph, and they too know this by experience; and there are many who are now of late devout to him, having had experience of this truth. (The Life o St. Teresa:--Translated by David Lewis. 1870: page 34)"

We might quote several other equally clear and fervent words from the writings of this seraphic Virgin. The Faithful could not remain indifferent with such teaching as this. The seed thus soon produced its fruit; slowly, it is true, but surely. Even in the first half of the 17th century, there prevailed amidst the devout clients of St. Joseph a presentiment, that the day would come, when the Church, through her Liturgy, would urge the Faithful to have recourse to him as their powerful Protector. In a book published in the year 1645, we find these almost prophetic words: "O thou bright sun, thou father of our days! speed thy onward course, and give us that happy day, whereon are to be fulfilled the prophecies of the Saints. They have said, that in the latter ages of the world, the glories of St. Joseph will be brought to light; that God will draw aside the veil, which has hitherto prevented us from seeing the wondrous sanctuary of Joseph's soul; that the Holy Ghost will inspire the Faithful to proclaim the praises of this admirable Saint, and to build Monasteries, Churches and Altars in his " honour; that, throughout the entire kingdom of the Church Militant, he shall be considered as the special Protector, for he was the Protector of the very founder of that kingdom, namely, our Lord Jesus Christ; that the Sovereign Pontiffs will, by a secret impulse from heaven, ordain that the Feast of this great Patriarch be solemnly celebrated through the length and breadth of the spiritual domain of St. Peter; that the most learned men of the world will use their talents in studying the divine gifts hidden in St. Joseph, and that they will find in him treasures of grace incomparably more precious and plentiful, than were possessed by every the choicest of the elect of the Old Testament, during the whole four thousand years of its duration. (La gloire de saint Joseph; par le P. Jean Jacquinot, de la Compagnie de Jesus. Dijon: 1645)"

These ardent wishes have been fulfilled. It is now more than a century ago, that the Carmelites sought and obtained the approbation of the Holy See for an Office in honour of the Patronage of St. Joseph. A great number of Dioceses obtained permission to use it. A Sunday was selected for the celebration of this new Feast, in order that the Faithful might be, in a way, compelled to keep it; for the Feast of St. Joseph in March is not a day of obligation for the universal Church, and, as it always falls during Lent, it cannot be kept on a Sunday, since the Sundays of Lent exclude a Feast of that rite. That the new Feast might not be attended with the same risk of being unnoticed, it was put upon a Sunday, the third Sunday after Easter, that thus the consolations of such a solemnity might be blended with the Paschal joys. The new Feast went on gradually spreading from one diocese to another; till at last, there was unexpectedly issued an Apostolic Decree, dated September the 10th, 1847, which ordered it to be kept throughout Christendom. The Church was on the eve of severe trials; and her glorious Pontiff, Pius the Ninth, by a sacred instinct, was prompted to draw down on the Flock intrusted to him the powerful protection of St. Joseph, who, assuredly, has never had greater miseries and dangers to avert from the world, than those which threaten the present age.

Let us then, henceforth, have confidence in the Patronage of St. Joseph. He is the Father of the Faithful, and it is God's will, that he, more than any other Saint, should have power to apply to us the blessings of the mystery of the Incarnation, the great mystery whereof he, after Mary, was the chief earthly minister.

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Prayer

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O glorious St. Joseph! Father and Protector of the Faithful! we bless our Mother the Church, for that she, now that the world is drawing to the close of its existence, has taught us to confide in thee.

Many ages passed away, and thy glories had not been made known to the world; but even then, thou wast one of mankind's most powerful intercessors. Most affectionately didst thou fulfil thy office as head of the great human family, whereof the Incarnate Word was a member. Nations and individuals experienced the benefit of thy prayers; but there was not the public acknowledgment of thy favours, there was not the homage of gratitude, which is now offered to thee. The more perfect knowledge of thy glories, and, the honouring thee as the Protector of mankind, these were reserved for our own unhappy times, when the state of the world is such as to require help beyond that which was granted to former ages. We come before thee, O Joseph! to honour the unlimited power of thine intercession, and the love thou bearest for all the children of the Church, the Brethren of Jesus.

Thou, O Mary! art pleased at seeing us honour him, whom thou didst so tenderly love. Never are our prayers so welcome to thee, as when they are presented to thee by his hands. The union, formed by heaven between thyself and Joseph, will last for all eternity; and the unbounded love thou hast for Jesus is an additional motive for thee to love him who was the Foster-father of thy Child, and the Guardian of thy Virginity. O Joseph! we also are the children of Mary, thy Spouse; treat us as such, bless us, watch over us, and receive the prayers which now more than ever, the Church encourages us to present to thee.

Thou art "the pillar of the world,"--columen mundi; thou art one of the foundations whereon it rests; because of thy merits and prayers, our Lord has patience with it, in spite of the iniquities which defile it. How truly may we say of these our times: There is now no saint; truths are decayed from among the children of men (Ps. xi. 2)! How powerful then, must not thine intercession be, to avert the indignation of God, and induce Him to show us His mercy! Grow not weary of thy labour, O thou universal Protector! The Church of thy Jesus comes before thee, on this day, beseeching thee to persevere in thy task of love. See this world of ours, now it is become one great volcano of danger by the boasted liberty granted to sin and heresy! Delay not thine aid, but quickly procure for us what will give us security and peace.

Whatever may be our necessities, thou art willing and able to assist us. We may be the poorest and last among the children of the Church; it matters not; thou lovest us with all the affectionate compassion of a Father. What a joy is not this to our hearts, O Joseph! We will therefore turn to thee in our spiritual wants. We will beg thee to assist us in the gaining the virtues we stand in need of, in the battles we have to fight against the enemies of our souls, and in the sacrifices which duty asks at our hands. Make us worthy to be called thy Children, O thou Father of the Faithful! Nor is thy power limited to what regards our eternal welfare; daily experience shows us how readily thou canst procure for us the blessing of God upon our temporal interests, provided they are in accordance with His divine will. Hence it is, that we hope for thy protection and aid in what concerns our worldly prospects. The house of Nazareth was confided to thy care; deign to give counsel and help to all them that make thee the Patron of all that regards their earthly well-being.

Glorious Guardian of the Holy Family! the family of Christendom is placed under thy special Patronage; watch over it in these troubled times. Hear the prayers of them that seek thine aid, when about to choose the partner who is to share with them the joys and the sorrows of this world, and help them to prepare for their passage to eternity. Maintain between husbands and wives that mutual respect, which is the safeguard of their fidelity to each other. Obtain for them the pledge of heaven's blessings. Fill them with such reverence for the holy state to which they have been called, that they may never deserve the reproach given by St. Paul to certain married people of that day, whom he compares to heathens, who know not God (Thess. iv. 5).

Grant us, also, O Joseph, another favour. There is one moment of our lives, which is the most important of all, since eternity depends upon it: it is the moment of our Death. And yet we feel our fear abated by the thought, that God's mercy has made thee the special Patron of the Dying. Thou hast been intrusted with the office of making Death happy and holy to those who invoke thee. To whom could such a prerogative have been given more appropriately than to thee, O Joseph! whose admirable death was one of the sublimest spectacles ever witnessed by Angels or by men, for Jesus and Mary were by thy side, as thou didst breathe forth thy soul. Be, then, our helper at that awful hour of our Death. We hope to have Mary's protection, for we daily pray to her that she would aid us at the hour of our Death; but we know that Mary is pleased at our having confidence in thee, and that where thou art, she also is sure to be. Encouraged by thy fatherly love, O Joseph! we will calmly await the coming of our last hour; for if we are careful in recommending it to thee, thou wilt not fail to take it under thy protection.

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Litany of the Seven Sorrows and Seven Joys
of Saint Joseph

Antiphon: The just shall spring as the lily, and shall flourish forever before the Lord. The Lord loved him and adorned him: He clothed him with a robe of glory.

V. My truth and My mercy are with him.
R. In My Name his horn shall be exalted.

Jesus, for love of Thy foster-father, hear us.
Jesus, graciously hear us.

When we are burdened with sorrows, and need the grace of supernatural strength of soul,

St. Joseph, intercede for us.

When we are filled with joy, that we may give the honor and glory of it to Jesus,

St. Joseph, intercede for us.

In memory of the anguish of thy heart, when minded to put away thy spouse; and of thy unspeakable joy when the archangel revealed to thee the Mystery of the Incarnation,

St. Joseph, pray for us.

In memory of thy grief in seeing Jesus born in abject poverty; and thy bliss on beholding the singing angels, and the glory of that holy night,

St. Joseph, pray for us.

In memory of thy sorrow at the Precious Blood of the Circuмcision; of thy consolation upon hearing Him called Jesus,

St. Joseph, pray for us.

In memory of thy agony when listening to Simeon's prophecy of the coming woes of Jesus and Mary; of thy joy when Simeon foretold salvation to innumerable souls in ages yet unborn,

St. Joseph, pray for us.

In memory of thy anxiety to nurture and serve Jesus, especially in the flight into Egypt; of thy joy in having God with thee and in seeing Egypt's idols fall,

St. Joseph, pray for us.

In memory of thy fear of the tyrant when returning from Egypt; and of thy joy and comfort at Nazareth in the sweet company of Jesus and Mary,

St. Joseph, pray for us.

In memory of thy great sorrow on losing Jesus, through no fault of thine, for three long days; of thy joy on once more finding Him, when He was in the temple preaching to the doctors,

St. Joseph, pray for us.

V. Go to Joseph,
R. And do all that he shall say to you.

V. Pray for us, blessed Joseph.
R. That we may be made worthy, of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

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O God, Who in Thine unspeakable providence didst vouchsafe to choose blessed Joseph for Thy most holy Mother's spouse: grant, we beseech Thee, that, recalling the joys and sorrows of his earthly life and revering him now as our protector upon earth, we may become worthy to have him as our intercessor in heaven. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

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Binechi · « **Reply #2 on:** May 03, 2017, 07:35:28 AM »

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The Coronation of St. Joseph

Meditation on the Patronage of St. Joseph
by Pierre Chaignon, 1907

1. Power of St. Joseph in Heaven.
2. Our Reliance upon His Love for us.
3. How We may Secure a Great Share in His Protection.

First Point.--Power of St. Joseph in heaven. We can form an idea of it from the teaching of the Church on the subject, and from the offices he filled on earth.

I. The liturgy of the Church is not merely her public and solemn prayer. It is also her popular and authentic teaching. What do we discover from the offices of the two principal feasts of St. Joseph, but especially that of his patronage? We find that the prevailing idea of the Church regarding St. Joseph is that unlimited power has been granted in heaven to the chaste husband of Mary, as it had been granted in Egypt to Joseph, the son of Jacob. In reading the office of this day, we imagine that we hear the Lord saying to us what Pharao said to the Egyptians: "Go to Joseph; I have deposited My authority in his hands; he is the medium of My graces, enjoys a like power of granting with Myself." "He established him lord over his house and manager of all his possessions." This is what the Church repeats exultingly adding: "Alleluia, alleluia!" Such is the judgment of the Church regarding the influence of this admirable saint. Let us consider the offices which he filled.

II. In the days of which we speak, God had on earth a two-fold treasure: Jesus, whom He proclaimed His well-beloved Son, and Mary, who had said of herself by the mouth of the inspired writer: "God has possessed me from the beginning of His ways." To St. Joseph He confided this two-fold priceless treasure. He established him the head of His family, master over His house, steward over the most precious of His possessions, over Jesus, He gave him the authority of a father over His Son, and over Mary the authority of a husband over his wife.

This authority of Joseph was fully acknowledged, for there never was a son more obedient, nor a wife more submissive. We must not imagine that these glorious titles of St. Joseph, to which so marvelous a power was attached, are, so to speak, disregarded, now that he is in heaven. This can not be. The well-grounded sentiment of the Church is, that the foster-father of Jesus Christ possesses in heaven unlimited power of intercession. While some holy and learned doctors have taught that Mary approaches the throne of her Son, not as a suppliant, but as a sovereign, not to ask, but to command, others have said, speaking of St. Joseph, that the prayers of such a husband and father amount to commandments regarding his spouse and his son; that Almighty God, far from depriving him of his glorious privileges, has enhanced them in his life of glory. They have declared that some saints are invoked for particular necessities, as if the power to assist us were divided among them; but that St. Joseph has received universal power to efficaciously aid us in all our wants of body and soul; that as the Son of God never refused him anything while living under his dependence, now that He is sitting at the right hand of His Father, He, a fortiori, grants him all that he asks.

On this ground, the Catholic Church invites us to have recourse to St. Joseph with the same confidence the Egyptians showed to the first Joseph, to whom they said: "Our life is in thy hand; only, let my Lord look favorably upon us, and we will gladly serve the king." (Gen. xlvii.)

Second Point.--We may rely upon the love of this illustrious saint. In the designs of God everything is foreseen. In creating the heart of Joseph, He was creating the heart of the spouse of Mary, and of the foster-father of Jesus. He wished that there should exist in this visible Trinity, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, a conformity of affection resembling that which unites the three adorable persons of the Trinity, invisible and eternal. On the same model as the hearts of Jesus and Mary, the heart of Joseph was formed; and it is from this point of view we should endeavor to conceive, as far as we can, the perfections which adorned it. Some of these were energy, an elevetion of sentiment necessary to those who have great destinies to accomplish, but principally sensibility, compassion, a desire for doing good, noble inclinations, developed by continual and extraordinary graces lavished upon it during thirty years through the grateful love of Jesus and Mary. Could they more fittingly reward his devotion toward them than in constantly increasing his charity, and rendering more perfect the resemblance of his heart to their own?

To ask if we may rely upon St. Joseph, if he be willing to help Christians to save their souls, to assist priests and pastors in their labors, to advance the glory of God, would be as much as to ask if we are the objects of the affection of Jesus and Mary, for it is from their hearts that he derives his feelings toward us. It would be like asking if a good father desires the happiness of his children, for St. Joseph has adopted us all in Jesus Christ, of whom we are the members, and who desires to call us His brethren; it would be to question the zeal of this great saint. From the moment that the angel had revealed to him the mystery of the Incarnation accomplished in his august spouse, his life was a continual contemplation. What did he contemplate, if not the love of God for us, impersonated in the Word made flesh? "God has so loved the world." Ah, how often must that cry of admiration have burst forth from him! When he beheld the divine Infant in the stable, in the arms of His Mother, or in his own; when he lavished upon, or received from Him, most tender caresses; when he saw Him growing up under his eyes, and later on helping him in his humble avocation; when Jesus made known to him His intentions in coming into the world, and what He would suffer for the glory of God and the salvation of souls--was not all this, as it were, new fuel to increase the flame of his love of God and of men?

We have not the right idea of the love of Jesus Christ for us, if we do not know that He neither did nor possessed anything on earth save for our interests. The fact of His choosing a father and mother, and the fact of their possessing such a strong love for our welfare, convey to us the knowledge of Our Lord being forced, in a manner, to yield to their requests those graces which, of ourselves, we could not have obtained. The Church positively declares this in the orison of St. Joseph: Ut quod possibilitas nostra non obtinet ejus nobis intercessione donetur. Let us all, therefore, go to Joseph; but let priests remember that they have particular claims to his assistance; for, as they labor for the glory of God, for the purpose of spreading the knowledge of Jesus and Mary, and of saving souls, they realize the most ardent desires of his heart.

Third Point.--How can we secure for ourselves a greater share in the protection of St. Joseph? This great saint comes to the help of those who do not know him, or, though they know him do not honor him, and in this, as in everything else, he is the faithful imitator of Jesus and of Mary. However he, like they, always has stronger affections, and more generous devotedness for those who love him. "I love those who love Me." The more we declare ourselves his children, by invoking him with confidence, the more does his heart act as the heart of a father. It is known how grateful St. Teresa was to St. Joseph for the favors she had received from him. After making mention of this, she adds: "For the love of God, I beg of those who do not believe me, to make an experiment of it. They will experience how advantageous it is to have recourse to this glorious patriarch, and to honor him in an especial manner."

Let us, therefore, to-day select him as the first of our patrons, the most intimate of our friends, and our most powerful intercessor. God chose him from among all men, to be His faithful co-operator in the accomplishment of the greatest of His designs. Solum in terris magni consilii coadjutorem fidelissimum. (St. Bernard.) O Priest of God, most useful will be his co-operation in everything you undertake for your sanctification, and the salvation of your neighbor. Consecrate yourself to him, renew with great fervor the act of your former consecration. Make him the father of your spiritual family, the pastor of your flock. Decide now, in a positive manner, what testimony of love you will offer St. Joseph every year, every week, every day. If you spread his devotion with perseverance, your zeal will be agreeable to him, through the many opportunities you will afford him of assisting souls; and as a reward he will be the means of bringing abundant graces upon you. Memento igitur nostri, beate Joseph, et tune orationis suffragio apud tuum putativum filium intercede, sed et beatissimam virginem sponsam tuam nobis propitiam redde. (St. Bern. Sen., serm. 1 de St. Joseph.)

Resume of the Meditation

First Point.--How great is St. Joseph's influence in heaven! The Church sees a symbol of his power in that of the son of Jacob in Egypt. "God established him master over His house, and governor over all that He possesses." In the days of our saint, God had on earth two treasures really priceless, namely, Jesus and Mary. To St. Joseph He gave over Jesus the authority of a father over His son; and over Mary the authority of a husband over his wife. Never was authority more perfectly respected than his. Is it less regarded in heaven? Thence came the feeling, so well grounded, that St. Joseph has unlimited power over the hearts of Jesus and Mary. The Church, therefore, invites us to turn to the second Joseph with the same confidence which animated the Egyptians when they said to the first Joseph: "Our life is in thy hand, only let my Lord look favorably upon us."

Second Point.--We may rely upon the love of this great saint. The heart of Joseph was modeled on the hearts of Jesus and Mary, for everything in the designs of God is foreseen. Jesus and Mary, in return for the services which Joseph rendered them, ceased not, during thirty years, to labor for his greater perfection. Consider the result.

Third Point.--How we can obtain a greater share in his protection. He entertains particular affection for those who love and honor him. The more we will act as his children, the more will his heart be for us the heart of a father. How many prodigies have occurred in our own days to strengthen what St. Teresa has written on this subject? What further testimonies of our devotion will we show him?

A Prayer to St. Joseph

O holy Joseph, chaste spouse of the Mother of God, most glorious advocate of all such as are in danger or in their last agony, and most faithful protector of all the servants of Mary your dearest spouse, I, in the presence of Jesus and Mary, do, from this moment, choose you for my powerful patron and advocate, for the obtaining a most happy death; and I firmly resolve and purpose to invoke thy aid, and never to say or do, or even to suffer any under my charge to say or do, anything against your honor. Receive me, therefore, for your perpetual servant, and recommend me to the constant protection of Mary, your dearest spouse, and to the everlasting mercies of Jesus my Savior. Assist me in all the actions of my whole life, all which I now offer to the greater and everlasting glory of Jesus and Mary, as well as to your own. Never, therefore, forsake me; and whatsoever grace you see most necessary and profitable to me, obtain it for me now and at the hour of my death, to which I now invite you against the uncertain hour in which it shall happen, that whatsoever at this moment, and on my death-bed, I cannot of myself obtain, may by your gracious prayers be bestowed on me by the Savior of my soul, our Lord Jesus Christ, who, together with the father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.

V. Pray for us, O holy St. Joseph.
R, That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

O God, who by thy wonderful providence, didst vouchsafe to choose St. Joseph to be the spouse of thy most holy Mother! grant, we beseech thee, that he whom we venerate as our protector on earth, may be our intercessor in heaven: who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.

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Binechi · « **Reply #3 on:** May 03, 2017, 07:26:46 PM »

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Joseph, the praise and glory of the heavens,
Sure pledge of life, and safety of the wide world,
As in our joy we sing to thee, in kindness
List to our praises.

Thou by the world's Creator wert appointed
Spouse of the Virgin: thee He willed to honor
Naming thee father of the Word, and guardian
Of our salvation.

Thou thy Redeemer, lying in a stable,
Whom long ago foretold the choir of Prophets,
Sawest rejoicing, and thy God adorest
Humble in childhood.

God, King of Kings, and Governor of the ages,
He at whose word the powers of hell do tremble,
He whom the adoring heavens ever worship
Called thee protector.

Praise to the Triune Godhead everlasting,
Who with such honor mightily hath blest thee;
O may he grant us at thy blest petition
Joys everlasting. Amen.

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Sermon of St. Bernard

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Who and what manner of man this blessed Joseph was, you may gather from the title, with which, although only as a deputy, he deserved to be honored so that he was both called and thought to be the father of God. You may gather it from his very name, which, being interpreted, means Increase. At the same time remember that great man, the former patriarch, who was sold into Egypt; and know that Joseph not only inherited the latter's name, but attained to his chastity, and equalled his grace and innocence.

If, then, that Joseph, sold by fraternal envy and carried into Egypt, foreshadowed the selling of Christ; this Joseph, fleeing from the envy of Herod, carried Christ into Egypt. The former, loyal to his master, would have nothing to do with his master's lady; the latter, recognizing his Lady, the mother of his Lord, to be a virgin, and being himself chaste, guarded her faithfully. To the former was given discernment in the mysteries of dreams; to the latter it was given to know and to share in the heavenly mysteries.

The former laid up wheat, not for himself but for all the people; the latter received the living Bread from heaven to guard it, for himself and for the whole world. There is not doubt that the Joseph, to whom the mother of the Savior was espoused, was a good, and faithful man. A faithful and prudent servant, I say, whom the Lord gave as a consolation to his Mother, as the guardian of His own body, and finally as the only and trusty helper upon earth in the great plan of His Incarnation.

(Roman Breviary)

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Pray for us.*
St. Joseph, *
Renowned offspring of David, *
Light of Patriarchs, *
Spouse of the Mother of God, *
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, *
Foster father of the Son of God, *
Diligent protector of Christ, *
Head of the Holy Family, *
Joseph most just, *
Joseph most chaste, *
Joseph most prudent, *
Joseph most strong, *
Joseph most obedient, *
Joseph most faithful, *
Mirror of patience, *
Lover of poverty, *
Model of artisans, *
Glory of home life, *
Guardian of virgins, *
Pillar of families, *
Solace of the wretched, *
Hope of the sick, *
Patron of the dying, *
Terror of demons, *
Protector of Holy Church, *

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

V. He made him the lord of His household.
R. And prince over all His possessions.

Let us pray:

O God, in your ineffable providence didst vouchsafe to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother; grant, we beseech Thee, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom we venerate as our Protector on earth: Who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.

_____________________________________

St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin
(by Father Prosper Gueranger 1870)

Today is the Feast Day of St. Joseph, the Spouse of Mary, the Foster-Father of the Son of God, that comes to cheer us by his dear presence. In a few days hence, the august mystery of the Incarnation will demand our fervent adorations: who, after the Angel of the Annunciation, could better prepare us for the grand Feast, than he that was both the confidant and faithful guardian of the divine secret?

The Son of God, when about to descend upon this earth to assume our human nature, would have a Mother; this Mother could not be other than the purest of Virgins, and her divine Maternity was not to impair her incomparable Virginity. Until such time as the Son of Mary were recognized as the Son of God, his Mother's honour had need of a protector: some man, therefore, was to be called to the high honour of being Mary's Spouse. This privileged mortal was Joseph, the chastest of men.

Heaven designated him as being the only one worthy of such a treasure: the rod he held in his hand, in the Temple, suddenly produced a flower, as though it were a literal fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaias: There shall come forth a rod from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root (Is. xi. 1.). The rich pretenders to an alliance with Mary were set aside; and Joseph was espoused to the Virgin of the House of David, by a union which surpassed in love and purity everything the Angels themselves had ever witnessed.

But he was not only chosen to the glory of having to protect the Mother of the Incarnate Word; he was also called to exercise an adopted paternity over the very Son of God. So long as the mysterious cloud was over the Saint of Saints, men called Jesus the Son of Joseph, and the Carpenter's Son. When our Blessed Lady found the Child Jesus in the Temple, in the midst of the Doctors, she thus addressed him: Thy father and I, sorrowing, have sought thee (St. Luke, ii. 48.); and the holy Evangelist adds, that Jesus was subject to them, that is, that He was subject to Joseph as He was to Mary.

Who can imagine or worthily describe the sentiments which filled the heart of this man, whom the Gospel describes to us in one word, when it calls him the just man (St. Matth. i. 19.)? Let us try to picture him to ourselves amidst the principal events of his life: his being chosen as the Spouse of Mary, the most holy and perfect of God's creatures; the Angel's appearing to him, and making him the one single human confidant of the mystery of the Incarnation, by telling him that his Virgin Spouse bore within her the fruit of the world's salvation; the joys of Bethlehem, when he assisted at the Birth of the Divine Babe, honoured the Virgin Mother, and heard the Angels singing; his seeing, first the humble and simple Shepherds, and then the rich Eastern Magi, coming to the stable to adore the new-born Child; the sudden fears which came on him, when he was told to arise, and, midnight as it was, to flee into Egypt with the Child and the Mother; the hardships of that exile, the poverty and the privations which were endured by the hidden God, Whose foster-father he was, and by the Virgin Spouse, whose sublime dignity was now so evident to him; the return to Nazareth, and the humble and laborious life led in that village, where he so often witnessed the world's Creator sharing in the work of a Carpenter; the happiness of such a life, in that cottage where his companions were the Queen of the Angels and the Eternal Son of God, both of whom honoured, and tenderly loved him as the head of the family: yes, Joseph was beloved and honoured by the uncreated Word, the Wisdom of the Father, and by the Virgin, the master-piece of God's power and holiness.

We ask, what mortal can justly appreciate the glories of St. Joseph? To do so, he would have to understand the whole of that Mystery, of which God made him the necessary instrument. What wonder, then, if this Foster-Father of the Son of God was prefigured in the Old Testament, and that by one of the most glorious of the Patriarchs? Let us listen to St. Bernard, who thus compares the two Josephs: "The first was sold by his brethren, out of envy, and was led into Egypt, thus prefiguring our Saviour's being sold; the second Joseph, that he might avoid Herod's envy, led Jesus into Egypt. The first was faithful to his master, and treated his wife with honour; the second, too, was the most chaste guardian of his Spouse, the Virgin Mother of his Lord. To the first was given the understanding and interpretation of dreams; to the second, the knowledge of, and participation in, the heavenly Mysteries. The first laid up stores of corn, not for himself, but for all the people; the second received the Living Bread that came down from heaven, and kept it both for himself and for the whole world. (Homily 2nd. On the Missus est.)"

Such a life could not close save by a death that was worthy of so great a Saint. The time came for Jesus to quit the obscurity of Nazareth, and show himself to the world. His own works were henceforth to bear testimony to his divine origin; the ministry of Joseph, therefore, was no longer needed. It was time for him to leave this world, and wait, in Abraham's bosom, the arrival of that day, when heaven's gates were to be opened to the just. As Joseph lay on his bed of death, there was watching by his side He that is the master of life, and that had often called this his humble creature, Father. His last breath was received by the glorious Virgin Mother, whom he had, by a just right, called his Spouse. It was thus, with Jesus and Mary by his side, caring and caressing him, that Joseph sweetly slept in peace. The Spouse of Mary, the Foster-Father of Jesus, now reigns in heaven with a glory which, though inferior to that of Mary, is marked with certain prerogatives which no other inhabitant of heaven can have.

From heaven, he exercises a powerful protection over those that invoke him. In a few weeks from this time, the Church will show us the whole magnificence of this protection; we shall be having a special Feast in honour of the Patronage of St. Joseph. What the Liturgy proposes to us today, are his glories and privileges. Let us unite with the Faithful throughout the world, and offer the Spouse of Mary the Hymns, which are this day sung in his praise.

1st Hymn.

May the heavenly host praise thee, O Joseph! May the choirs of Christendom resound with thy name, for great are thy merits, who wast united by a chaste alliance to the Holy Virgin.

Seeing that thy Spouse was soon to be a Mother, a cruel doubt afflicts thy heart; but an Angel visits thee, telling thee that she had conceived of the Holy Ghost the Child she bore in her womb.

When Jesus was born, thou hadst to take him in thine arms, and go with the little Fugitive to Egypt's distant land. When He was lost in Jerusalem, thou didst seek after Him; and having found Him, thy tears were mingled with joy.

Other Saints receive their beatitude after death, when a holy death has crowned their life; they receive their glory, when they have won the palm: but thou, by a strangely happy lot, hadst, even during life, what the Blessed have in heaven, thou hadst the sweet society of thy God.

O Sovereign Trinity! have mercy on us thy suppliants, and may the intercession of Joseph aid us to reach heaven; that there we may sing to thee our eternal hymn of grateful love. Amen.

Hymn 2

O Joseph, thou that art the delight of the Blessed, the sure hope of our life, and the pillar of the world!--receive, in thy kind love the praises we now joyfully sing to thee.

The Creator appointed thee the Spouse of the Holy Virgin; willed thee to be called the Father of the Word; and gave thee to be an instrument of our salvation.

Thou didst fix thy glad gaze on the Redeemer lying in the stable, Him that the Prophets had foretold was to come; and seeing Him, thou didst humbly adore the new-born King.

He that is King, the God of Kings, the Lord of the earth, at whose bidding hell trembles, and before whom heaven prostrates ready to do His will, yea, even He makes Himself subject to thee.

Praise eternal be to the Most High Trinity! May He that has conferred such high honours upon thee, grant us through the merits of thine intercession, to come to the joys of heavenly life. Amen.

3rd Hymn

It was on this day that Joseph, sweetly sleeping, passed to the eternal home, and received upon his brow the glittering crown.

Now that he reigns in heaven, let us beseech him to help us, obtain us the pardon of our sins, and procure us the gift of heavenly peace. Glory and honor be to Thee, O God, O Blessed Trinity, Who art our Sovereign Lord! Who givest to thy faithful servant an everlasting crown of gold. Amen.

Prayer

We praise and glorify thee, O happy Saint! We hail thee as the Spouse of the Queen of heaven, and Foster-Father of our Redeemer. These titles, which would seem too grand for any human being to enjoy, are thine; and they are but the expression of the dignities conferred on thee by God. The Church of heaven admires the sublime favors thou hast received; the Church on earth joyfully celebrates thy glories, and blesses thee for the favours thou art so unceasingly bestowing upon her.

Though born of the kingly race of David, thou wast the humblest of men; thy spirit led thee to seek obscurity, and a hidden life was thine ambition: but God chose thee to be an instrument in the sublimest of all his works. A noble Virgin, of the same family of David, the object of heaven's admiration, and the glory and hope of the world, yes, this Virgin is to be thy Spouse. The Holy Ghost is to dwell within her as in a most pure tabernacle; it is to thee, the just and chaste, that he intrusts her as an inestimable treasure. Espouse, then, to thyself her whose beauty the very King of heaven so greatly desires (Ps. xliv. 12.).

The Son of God comes down to this earth, that He may live the life of man; He comes that He may sanctify the ties and affections of kindred. He calls thee Father; He obeys thy orders. What strange emotions must have filled thy heart, O Joseph! when, knowing the prerogatives of thy Spouse and the divinity of thy adopted Son, thou hadst to be the head of this Family, which united heaven and earth into one! What respectful and tender love for Mary, thy Blessed Spouse! What gratitude and profound worship of Jesus, who obeyed thee as thy Child! O mysteries of Nazareth! a God dwells among men, and permits Himself to be called the Son of Joseph!

O sublime minister of the greatest of blessings, intercede for us with God made Man. Ask Him to bestow Humility upon us, that holy virtue which raised thee to such exalted dignity, and which must be the basis of our conversion. It was pride that led us into sin, and made us prefer our own will to that of God: yet will He pardon us if we offer Him the sacrifice of a contrite and humbled heart (Ps 1. 19.). Get us this virtue, without which there can be no true penance. Pray also for us, O Joseph, that we may be chaste. Without purity of mind and body, we cannot come nigh the God of all sanctity, Who suffers nothing defiled to approach Him. He wills to make our bodies, by His grace, the temples of His holy Spirit: do thou, great Saint, help us to maintain ourselves in so exalted a dignity, or to recover it, if we have lost it.

And lastly, O Faithful Spouse of Mary! recommend us to our Mother. If she cast a look of pity upon us during these days of reconciliation, we shall be saved: for she is the Queen of Mercy, and Jesus, her Son, will pardon us and change our hearts, if she intercedes for us, O Joseph! Remind her of Bethlehem, Egypt, and Nazareth, in all of which she received from thee such marks of thy devotedness. Tell her, that we, also, love and honour thee; and Mary will reward us for our devotion to him that was given her by heaven as her protector and support.

Decree Proclaiming St. Joseph
Patron of the Catholic Church

To the City and World:--Just as God had made Joseph, born of the Patriarch Jacob, governor over the whole land of Egypt that he might save the grain for the people, so also, when the fullness of time being near, he was to send His only begotten Son to this earth that he might be the Saviour of the world, he chose another Joseph, of whom the former was only a. figure, and inade him the master and ruler of His house and His possessions, and appointed him the keeper of His most precious treasury. For his Spouse was the Immaculate Virgin Mary, from whom by the Holy Ghost is born Jesus Christ our Lord, who deigned to be held by men, as the son of Joseph, to whpm also He was subject. Whom kings and prophets desired to see, Joseph did not only see but conversed with Him and with fatherly affection embraced and kissed Him; with skillful care he nourished Him whom the faithful people, in order to obtain life everlasting, were to eat as their bread came down from heaven. On account of the sublime dignity, which God has bestowed on his most faithful servant, the Church has always after his spouse, the Virgin Mother of God, offered special honor and praise to Bl. Joseph and implored his intercession in all her anxieties. In the present very sad times, the Church, persecuted on all sides by her enemies, is oppressed by terrible calamities that godless men try to believe the gates of hell will at last prevail against her.

Hence the venerable bishops of this whole Catholic World have presented to the Supreme Pontiff their own petitions and those of the faithful entrusted to their charge praying that he would appoint St. Joseph the Patron of the Catholic Church.--Later, when at the holy Ecuмenical Council of the Vatican the same petitions and requests were urged with new vigor, our holy Father and Pope Pius IX, moved by the recent mournful state of affairs, agreed to comply with the wishes of the Bishops, and to place himself and the faithful under the most powerful patronage of the holy Patriarch Joseph, therefore, solemnly proclaimed him Patron of the Catholic j Church, and ordained that his feast, on Mar. 19th, should be celebrated in future with the rank of a double of the first class, though without octave on account of Lent. He also commanded that this proclamation should be made public by this present decree of the Congregation of Sacred Rites on the day dedicated to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and Spouse of the chaste Joseph. Everything to the contrary notwithstanding. On the 8th Dec., 1870.

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