St. Joseph

23d Day.— St. Joseph, Father of Jesus. We need not fear to apply this name to the holy foster-father of the Son of God, since it was given to him by Our Lady herself, when she said to Him in the Temple, “Thy father and I have sought Thee, sorrowing.” 1.  He had the position…

22d Day.— St. Joseph as Head of the Holy Family. 1.  The dignity of any office of authority is in proportion to the excellence of those over whom such authority is exercised.  What then must have been the dignity and perfection of St. Joseph!  To rule over the angels would be a small privilege compared…

21st Day.— St. Joseph’s Seventh Joy. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple among the Doctors. 1.  For three days Joseph had sought for Jesus, and at length, wearied out with the fruitless search, he and Our Lady betook themselves to the Temple, that there, before the mercy-seat, they might beg God to have mercy…

20th Day.— St. Joseph’s Seventh Sorrow. The Loss of Jesus for Three Days. 1.  It was obligatory on all Jews who were within a moderate distance of Jerusalem to pay a visit to the Temple once every year.  In accordance with this law Joseph went up each year from Nazareth, and Mary went also.  As…

19th Day.— St. Joseph’s Sixth Joy. The Life with Jesus and Mary at Nazareth. 1.  When St. Joseph found that dangers still threatened the safety of Jesus in the south of Palestine, he at once pushed on for Galilee.  He was fertile in resource, and when one plan failed, another was soon with God’s assistance…

18th Day. — St. Joseph’s Sixth Sorrow. Finding that Archelaus reigned in Judaea. 1.  When the appointed time was come, St. Joseph received the joyful news that the Holy Family at length was to return from their place of banishment.  An angel appeared to him by night and informed him that Herod was dead, and…

17th Day.— St. Joseph’s Fifth Joy. Seeing the Idols of Egypt Fall to the Ground. 1.  When the Holy Family had crossed the desert and arrived at the place of their abode in Egypt, tradition records a miracle.  The idols in the temples are said to have fallen prostrate on the very night of their…

16th Day. — St. Joseph’s Fifth Sorrow. The Flight into Egypt. 1.  One night, as Joseph slept, a vision came before his eyes.  He saw an angel who bade him rise and take the Child Jesus and His Mother and fly into Egypt.  Without a moment’s delay he rose quickly, called Our Lady, put together…

15th Day. — St. Joseph’s Fourth Joy. 1.  As our blessed Lord was consoled during His sacred agony by a vision of the fruits of His Passion, in the happiness of the countless multitude of the redeemed, so St. Joseph was comforted in his sorrow for the coming sufferings of Jesus and Mary by knowing…

14th Day. — St. Joseph’s Fourth Sorrow. The Prophecy of Simeon. 1.  When the aged Simeon took into his arms the Infant Jesus, and gave thanks to God that he had at length seen the salvation of Israel, we are told that he blessed the little group before him.  But it was a strange benediction. …