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“Men of every rank and country
should fly to the trust and guard of
the blessed Joseph,” especially fathers
of families, Pope Leo XIII wrote in his
Encyclical on devotion to St. Joseph,
Quamquam pluries.
“God, because of the great love He
bears us, and His great desire to see
us saved, has given us among other
means of salvation the praice of
devotion to the Saints. It is His Will
that they, who are His friends,
should intercede for us and, by their
merits and prayers, obtain graces for
us which we ourselves do not deserve.
But everyone must know that, aer
the Mother of God, St. Joseph is, of
all the Saints, the one dearest to God.
He has, therefore, great power with
Him and can obtain graces for His
devout clients.” St. Alphonsus Liguori
“St. Joseph was chosen among all
men, to be the proteor and guardian
of the Virgin Mother of God; the
defender and foster-father of the
Infant-God, and the only cooperator
upon earth, the one confidant of the
secret of God in the work of the
redemption of mankind.”
St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Father Louis Lallemant, S.J. (1588-1635)
established a beautiful meditation on
St. Joseph asking for a share in his
fidelity to Grace and the interior life,
and his love for Jesus and Mary. There
is so much of Joseph in Jesus; if we
learn of Joseph, there will be much of
Jesus in us.
No word of Joseph was ever recorded.
Angels spoke to him three times in
dreams. In each case, Joseph’s reply to
them was action in accepting the Angels’
advice and obedience in carrying out
their orders. Reliable details about the
life of St. Joseph are scarce. We cannot
follow this great and unique man very
closely through the eyes of historians.
We may follow the formula laid out by
Fr. Lallemant and turn to St. Joseph, four
times a day, to think about him and
meditate on these four points:
1) His Fidelity to Grace;
2) His Fidelity to the Interior Life;
3) His Love of the Blessed Virgin;
4) His Love of the Holy Child.
After meditating on each point, we
ask God through the intercession of
St. Joseph for similar fidelity and love.
These little meditations and prayers
may be made at any time of the day
or night, and in any place.