From Dom Guéranger's The Liturgical Year.
THE Easter mysteries are superseded to-day by a special subject, which is offered for our consideration. The holy Church invites us to spend this day 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 March 19, it is not, properly speaking, his feast that we are to celebrate to-day. 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 everready 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 fifteenth century the whole Latin Church adopted it, and since that time it has gradually gained the affections of the faithful. We have treated of the glories of St Joseph on March 19; 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 thirteenth century, when, as the Church herself assures us, the world began to grow cold,[1] 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 Siena 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 sixteenth century, owing principally to the influence of St Ignatius and the Society founded by him. In the seventeenth was promulgated the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which was firmly established in the following century. In the nineteenth, devotion to the Holy Mother of God 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, 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, were renewed; the Archconfraternity of the Sacred Heart of Mary spread throughout the whole world; numerous miracles were wrought in reward for the fervent faith of individuals; in a word, the nineteenth century 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 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.’[2] 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 the honour of his Mother. 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![3] 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 sixteenth 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 thirteenth 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 his 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 anything 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.'[4]
We might quote several other equally clear and fervent words from the writings of this seraphic virgin. The faithful could not remain indifferent to such teaching as this. The seed thus sown produced its fruit; slowly, it is true, but surely. Even in the first half of the seventeenth 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 even the choicest of the elect of the Old Testament, during the whole four thousand years of its duration.'[5]
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 in all lands, 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 10, 1847, which ordered it to be kept throughout Christendom. The Church was on the eve of severe trials; and her glorious Pontiff, Pius IX, by a sacred instinct, was prompted to draw down on the flock entrusted 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.
In the Greek Liturgy this third Sunday after Easter is called the Sunday of the Paralytic, because a special commemoration is made of the miracle wrought by our Saviour at the Probatica.
The Roman Church begins to-day, in her Office of Matins, the Book of St John's Apocalypse.
MASS
On this feast, dedicated to St Joseph as Protector of the Faithful, the Church, in the Introit of the Mass, speaks to us of the confidence we should have in the protection of God; she uses the words of the royal Prophet, and would have us make them our own. Now Si Joseph is the minister of this divine protection, and God promises it to us, if we address ourselves to this his incomparable servant.
Introit
Adjutor et protector noster est Dominus: in eo laetabitur cor nostrum: et in nomine sancto ejus speravimus. Alleluia, alleluia.
Ps. Qui regis Israel, intende: qui deducis velut ovem Joseph, ℣. Gloria Patri.
Adjutor.
The Lord is our helper and protector: in him shall our heart rejoice: and in his holy name we have trusted. Alleluia, alleluia.
Ps. Give ear, O thou that rulest Israel: thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep. ℣. Glory, etc.
The Lord, etc.
In the Collect, the Church lays stress upon God's choosing St Joseph as Mary's Spouse, and teaches us that one of the consequences of this choice was our having a protector who will be ready to assist us by his all-powerful intercession, as often as we pray to him.
Collect
Deus, qui ineffabili providentia beatum Joseph sanctissimæ Genitricis tuae sponsum eligere dignatus es: praesta, quæsumus, ut, quem Protectorem veneramur in terris, intercessorem habere mereamur in cœlis. Qui vivis.
O God, who by thy unspeakable providence didst vouchsafe to choose blessed Joseph to be the Spouse of thy most holy Mother: grant that as we venerate him for our Protector on earth, we may deserve to be aided by his intercession in heaven. Who livest, etc.
If this feast be kept on the Sunday, a commemoration of the third Sunday after Easter is then made, by this Collect:
Deus, qui errantibus, ut in viam possint redire justitiae, veritatis tuae lumen ostendis: da cunctis, qui Christiana professione censentur, et illa respuere quæ huic inimica sunt nomini; et ea quæ sunt apta sectari. Per Dominum.
O God, who showest the light of thy truth to such as go astray, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant that all, who profess the Christian name, may forsake whatever is contrary to that profession, and closely pursue what is agreeable to it. Through, etc.
Epistle
Lectio libri Genesis.
Cap. xlix.
Filius accrescens Joseph, filius accrescens et decorus aspectu: filiae discurrerunt super murum. Sed exasperaverunt eum, et jurgati sunt, invideruntque illi habentes jacula. Sedit in forti arcus ejus, et dissoluta sunt vincula brachiorum et manuum illius per manus potentis Jacob: inde pastor egressus est lapis Israel. Deus patris tui erit adjutor tuus, et omnipotens benedicet tibi benedictionibus cœli desuper. Benedictionibus abyssi jacentis deorsum, benedictionibus uberum et vulvae. Benedictiones patris tui confortatae sunt benedictionibus patrum ejus: donec veniret desiderium collium aeternorum: fiant in capite Joseph, et in vertice Nazaræi inter fratres suos.
Lesson from the book of Genesis.
Ch. xlix.
Joseph is a growing son, a growing son and comely to behold: the daughters run to and fro upon the wall. But they that held darts, provoked him, and quarrelled with him, and envied him. His bow rested upon the strong, and the bands of his arms and his hands were loosed, by the hands of the mighty one of Jacob: thence he came forth a Shepherd, the stone of Israel. The God of thy father shall be thy helper, and the Almighty shall bless thee with the blessings of heaven above, with the blessings of the deep that lieth beneath, with the blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of thy father are strengthened with the blessings of his fathers: until the Desire of the everlasting hills shall come: may they be upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the Nazarite among his brethren.
This magnificent prophecy of the dying Jacob, wherein he makes known to his son Joseph the glorious destiny which awaits himself and his children, is most appropriate to this feast; it reminds us of the beautiful comparison drawn by St Bernard between the two Josephs. We refer our readers to March 19, where they will find the passage to which we allude, and in which we are told that the first Joseph was a type of the second. After prophesying what was to happen to his ten eldest sons, the Patriarch Jacob speaks, with marked partiality, concerning the son of Rachel. After speaking of his comeliness, he alludes to the persecution he received from his brothers, and to the wondrous ways whereby God delivered him out of their hands, and exalted him to glory and power. The words he uses may well be applied to the second Joseph, the Spouse of Mary, and the Protector of the Faithful; for who better deserves the title of Shepherd and Stone (i.e., strength) of Israel? We are all of us his family: he affectionately watches over us: and in our troubles we may rely upon him with all confidence, as our staunch unfailing defender. St Joseph's inheritance is the Church, sanctified and made fruitful by the ceaseless blessing of the Waters of Baptism; it is in the Church that he exercises his beneficent power upon all who confide in him. Jacob promised the most lavish blessings upon the first Joseph; and these blessings were to last till the Saviour, thedesire of the everlasting hills should come, when the second Joseph would begin his ministry—a ministry of help and protection, which would continue till the second coming of the Son of God. Finally, if the first Joseph be spoken of, in this prophecy, as a Nazarite (that is, one consecrated to God) and as a Saint among his Brethren, the second Joseph is to fulfil the prediction still more literally; for not only will his sanctity surpass that of Jacob’s son, but his very home will be Nazareth. In that city he will dwell with Mary; to that city he will return after the exile in Egypt; in that city he will terminate his holy career; in a word, Jesus, the Eternal Word, shall be called a Nazarite,[6] because he is to live in that city with his Foster-Father.
In the first Alleluia-Versicle, we have St Joseph speaking to us; he encourages us to have recourse to him, and promises us untiring protection. In the second the Church prays for her children, that they may have the grace to imitate the purity of Mary’s Spouse: her prayer is addressed to him.
Alleluia, alleluia. ℣. De quacumque tribulatione clamaverint ad me, exaudiam eos; et ero protector eorum semper.
Alleluia. ℣. Fac nos innocuam, Joseph, decurrere vitam, sitque tuo semper tuta patrocinio. Alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia. ℣. In whatever tribulation they shall cry to me, I will hear them; and I will be their protector for ever.
Alleluia. ℣. Obtain for us, O Joseph, to lead an innocent life; and may it ever be safe through thy Patronage. Alleluia.
Gospel
Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam.
Cap. iii.
In illo tempore: Factum est autem cum baptizaretur omnis populus, et Jesu baptizato et orante, apertum est cœlum: et descendit Spiritus Sanctus corporali specie sicut columba in ipsum: et vox de coelo facta est: Tu es Filius meus dilectus, in te complacui mihi. Et ipse Jesus erat incipiens quasi annorum triginta, ut putabatur, filius Joseph.
Sequel of the Holy Gospel according to Luke.
Ch. iii.
At that time: It came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, heaven was opened: and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, as a dove, upon him: and a voice came from heaven: Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. And Jesus himself was beginning about the age of thirty years: being, as it was supposed, the son of Joseph.
Being, as it was supposed, the Son of Joseph! Jesus’ filial affection for his Mother, his jealousy for the honour of the purest of Virgins, led him to treat Joseph as his father, and to allow himself to be called the Son of Joseph! Joseph heard the Son of God call him ‘father.’ He had charge of, he laboured for the maintenance of the Son of the Eternal Father. He was the head of the Holy Family at Nazareth, and Jesus recognized his authority. The plan of the Mystery of the Incarnation required that these relations should exist between the Creator and the Creature. As the Son of God, now that he is seated at the right hand of the Eternal Father, has kept our human nature indissolubly united with his divine Person; so likewise has he retained the feelings he had, when here on earth, for Mary and Joseph. With regard to Mary, his love for her, as his Mother, has but increased; and as to Joseph, it is impossible to suppose that the affection and respect he had for him have now ceased to exist in the Heart of the Man-God. No mortal was ever on such terms of intimacy and familiarity with Jesus as Joseph was. Jesus was grateful to Joseph for the paternal care he received from him; what more natural than to believe that Jesus now repays him with special honours and power in heaven? It is the belief of the Church; it is the conviction of the faithful; it is the motive which suggested the present feast.
The words of the Offertory are taken from Psalm 147. Jerusalem, that is, the Church, is bidden to rejoice, because of the means of defence which God has given her against her enemies. One of the greatest of the blessings thus conferred upon her is St Joseph's Protection.
Offertory
Lauda Jerusalem Dominum, quoniam confortavit seras portarum tuarum: benedixit filiis tuis in te. Alleluia, alleluia.
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem because he hath strengthened the bolts of thy gates: he hath blessed thy children within thee. Alleluia, alleluia.
In the Secret, the Church prays that we may imitate the Carpenter of Nazareth in his detachment from earthly things.
Secret
Sanctissimæ Genitricis tuæ Sponsi patrocinio suffulti, rogamus, Domine, clementiam tuam, ut corda nostra facias terrena cuncta despicere: ac te verum Deum perfecta charitate diligere: Qui vivis.
Supported by the Patronage of the Spouse of thy most holy Mother, we beseech thy clemency, O Lord, that thou wouldst make our hearts despise all earthly things, and love thee, the true God, with perfect charity. Who livest, etc.
Then a commemoration of the Third Sunday after Easter is made, if required, by the following Secret:
Secret
His nobis, Domine, mysteriis conferatur, quo terrena desideria mitigantes, discamus amare coelestia. Per Dominum.
By these mysteries, O Lord, may we be enabled to moderate our earthly desires, and learn to love those that are heavenly. Through, etc.
The proper Preface that follows has recently been granted by the Holy See for use in all Masses of St Joseph:
Preface
Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare, nos tibi semper, et ubique gratias agere, Domine sancte Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus. Et te in Festivitate beati Joseph debitis magnificare praeconiis, benedicere et praedicare. Qui et vir justus, a te Deiparae Virgini sponsus est datus: et fidelis. servus ac prudens, super Familiam tuam est, constitutus; ut Unigenitum tuum, Sancti Spiritus obumbratione conceptum, paterna vice custodiret, Jesum Christum, Dominum nostrum. Per quem, etc.
It is truly meet and just, right and available to salvation, that we should always, and in all places, give thanks to thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God. And to magnify thee with meet acclamation, to bless and praise thee on the Feast of blessed Joseph. Who, being a just man, was given by thee to the Virgin Mother of God for her spouse; and, as a faithful and wise servant, was set over thy family; that he might guard in a father’s place thine only-begotten Son, conceived by the over-shadowing of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ our Lord. By whom, etc.
The Communion-Anthem is a sentence taken from St Matthew’s Gospel, wherein we find the glorious title of our holy Protector: Joseph, the husband of Mary; and the still more glorious one of Mary: Of whom was bom Jesus.
Communion
Jacob autem genuit Joseph virum Mariae, de qua natus est Jesus, qui vocatur Christus, alleluia.
But Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was bom Jesus, who is called Christ, alleluia.
Holy Church prays, in the Post communion, that St Joseph, who is our Protector during this present life, may intercede for us in what concerns our eternal welfare.
Postcommunion
Divini muneris fonte refecti, quæsumus, Domine Deus noster; ut, sicut nos facis beati Joseph protectione gaudere, ita ejus meritis et intercessione, coelestis gloriae facias esse participes. Per Dominum.
Refreshed at the fountain of divine blessings, we beseech thee, O Lord, our God; that, as thou makest us rejoice in the Protection of blessed Joseph, so by his merits and intercession, thou wouldst make us partakers of celestial glory. Through, etc.
The priest then adds, if need be, this commemoration of the Third Sunday after Easter:
Postcommunion
Sacramenta, quæ sumpsimus, quæsumus, Domine, et spiritualibus nos instaurent alimentis, et corporalibus tueantur auxiliis. Per Dominum.
May the Sacrament we have received, O Lord, both revive us with spiritual nourishment, and defend us by bodily succour. Through, etc.
The following Gospel of the Third Sunday after Easter is read at the end of Mass.
Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem.
Cap. xvi.
In illo tempore: Dixit Jesus discipulis suis: Modicum, et jam non videbitis me, et iterum modicum, et videbitis me: quia vado ad Patrem. Dixerunt ergo ex discipulis ejus ad invicem: Quid est hoc, quod dicit nobis: Modicum, et non videbitis me, et iterum modicum, et videbitis me, et quia vado ad Patrem? Dicebant ergo: Quid est hoc, quod dicit, Modicum? nescimus quid loquitur. Cognovit autem Jesus, quia volebant eum interrogare, et dixit eis: De hoc quæritis inter vos, quia dixi, Modicum, et non videbitis me: et iterum modicum, et videbitis me? Amen, amen dico vobis: quia plorabitis, et flebitis vos, mundus autem gaudebit: vos vero contristabimini, sed tristitia vestra vertetur in gaudium. Mulier cum parit, tristitiam habet, quia venit hora ejus: cum autem pepererit puerum, jam non meminit pressurae propter gaudium: quia natus est homo in mundum. Et vos igitur nunc quidem tristitiam habetis; iterum autem videbo vos, et gaudebit cor vestrum: et gaudium vestrum nemo tollet a vobis.
℟. Deo gratias.
Sequel of the Holy Gospel according to John.
Ch. xvi.
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: A little while, and now you shall not see me: and again a little while, and you shall see me; because I go to the Father. Then some of his disciples said one to another: What is this he saith to us: A little while, and you shall not see me: and again a little while, and you shall see me, and because I go to the Father? They said therefore: What is this that he saith: A little while? we know not what he speaketh. And Jesus knew that they had a mind to ask him; and he said to them: Of this do you inquire among yourselves, because I said: a little while, and you shall not see me; and again, a little while, and you shall see me? Amen, amen, I say to you, that you shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice: and you shall be made sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in labour, hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she hath brought forth the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is bom into the world. So also you now indeed have sorrow but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man shall take from you.
℟. Thanks be to God.
VESPERS
Ant. Jacob autem genuit Joseph virum Mariae, de qua natus est Jesus, qui vocatur Christus, alleluia.
Ant. But Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ, alleluia.
Psalm, Dixit Dominus, page 82
Ant. Missus est Angelus Gabriel a Deo in civitatem Galilææ cui nomen Nazareth, ad virginem desponsatam viro cui nomen erat Joseph, alleluia.
Ant. The Angel Gabriel was sent from God, into a city of Galilee called Nazareth, to a Virgin, espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, alleluia.
Psalm, Confitebor, page 83
Ant. Ascendit autem Joseph a Galilæa, de civitate Nazareth, in Judaeam, in civitatem David, quæ vocatur Bethlehem, alleluia.
Ant. But Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, alleluia.
Psalm, Beatus vir, page 84
Ant. Et venerunt festinantes, et invenerunt Mariam et Joseph et infantem positum in præsepio. Alleluia, alleluia.
Ant. And they came with haste, and they found Mary and Joseph, and the Infant lying in the manger. Alleluia, alleluia.
Psalm, Laudate pueri, page 85
Ant. Et ipse Jesus erat incipiens quasi annorum triginta, ut putabatur, filius Joseph, alleluia.
Ant. And Jesus himself was beginning about the age of thirty years, being, as it was supposed, the son of Joseph, alleluia.
Psalm 116
Laudate Dominum omnes gentes: * laudate eum omnes populi.
Quoniam confirmata est super nos misericordia ejus: * et veritas Domini manet in æternum.
O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him all ye people.
For his mercy is confirmed upon us: and the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever.
Capitulum
(Gen. xlix)
Benedictiones patris tui confortatae sunt benedictionibus patrum ejus, donec veniret desiderium collium aeternorum; fiant in capite Joseph et in vertice Nazaræi inter fratres suos.
The blessings of thy father are strengthened with the blessings of his fathers, until the Desire of the everlasting hills shall come; may they be upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the Nazarite among his brethren.
Hymn[7]
Te, Joseph, celebrent agmina cœlitum;
Te cuncti resonent christiadum chori,
Qui clarus meritis junctus es inclytæ
Casto fœdere Virgini.
Almo cum tumidam germine Conjugem.
Admirans, dubio tangeris anxius,
Afflatu superi Flaminis Angelus
Conceptum puerum docet.
Tu natum Dominum stringis; ad exteras
Ægypti profugum tu sequeris plagas:
Amissum Solymis quæris, et invenis,
Miscens gaudia fletibus.
Post mortem reliquos mors pia consecrat,
Palmamque emeritos gloria suscipit;
Tu vivens, Superis par, frueris Deo,
Mira sorte beatior.
Nobis, summa Trias, parce precantibus,
Da Joseph meritis sidera scandere:
Ut tandem liceat nos tibi perpetim
Gratum promere canticum.
Amen.
℣. Sub umbra illius quem desideraveram sedi, alleluia.
℟. Et fructus ejus dulcis gutturi meo, alleluia.
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.
Where 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.
℣. I sat down under his shadow, whom I desired, alleluia.
℟. And his fruit was sweet to my palate, alleluia.
Antiphon of the Magnificat
Ant. Fili, quid fecisti nobis sic? Ecce pater tuus et ego dolentes quærebamus te, alleluia.
Oremus.
Deus, qui ineffabili providentia beatum Joseph sanctissimae Genitricis tuæ sponsum eligere dignatus es, præsta quæsumus; ut, quem protectorem veneramur in terris, intercessorem habere mereamur in cœlis. Qui vivis.
Ant. Son, why hast thou done so to us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing, alleluia.
Let us Pray.
O God, who by thy unspeakable providence didst vouchsafe to choose blessed Joseph to be the Spouse of thy most holy Mother; grant that, as we venerate him for our Protector on earth, we may deserve to be aided by his intercession in heaven. Who livest, etc.
A commemoration is then made of the Third Sunday after Easter, if necessary, by the following Antiphon, Versicle, and Prayer:
Ant. Amen dico vobis; quia plorabitis et flebitis vos: mundus autem gaudebit, vos vero contristabimini; sed tristitia vestra vertetur in gaudium, alleluia.
℣. Mane nobiscum, Domine, alleluia.
℟. Quoniam advesperascit, alleluia.
Oremus.
Deus, qui errantibus, ut in viam possint redire justitiae, veritatis tuæ lumen ostendis; da cunctis qui Christiana professione censentur, et illa respuere quæ huic inimica sunt nomini, et ea quæ sunt apta sectari. Per Dominum.
Ant. Amen, I say to you: that ye shall lament and weep: but the world shall rejoice, and ye shall be made sorrowful; but your sorrow shall be turned into joy, alleluia.
℣. Stay with us, O Lord, alleluia.
℟. For the evening cometh on, alleluia.
Let us Pray.
O God, who showest the light of thy truth to such as go astray, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant, that all, who profess the Christian name, may forsake whatever is contrary to that profession, and closely pursue what is agreeable to it. Through, etc.
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 acknowledgement 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 honour paid to 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 FosterFather 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 arc decayed from among the children of men![8] 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 gaining the virtues whereof we stand in need, 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.[9]
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 entrusted 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.
The gladness of to-day’s feast has been united with the Paschal joy: still, it is but just that the latter should have its own expression apart. We will therefore end the day by offering to our Risen Lord the following Preface: it is taken from the ancient Gothic Missal, published by Dom Mabillon.
Contestatio
(Indie Sabbato, octava Paschœ)
Dignum et justum est; necessarium et salutare est: ut te Dominum ac Deum totis visceribus humana conditio veneretur, Rex mirabilis Christe. Cujus condemnatione, tartareis vinculis absoluta credentium turba, libertatis insignia gratulatur. Qui vere ut Leo de tribu Juda mundo ostensus, animarum devoratorem exstinctum leonem diabolum omnis terra laetatur. Permittit se clavorum nexibus alligatum ad stipitem crucis teneri: ut non sit parva, quam impius quondam expavescat, potentia. Ad cujus vocem, emittens spiritum, terra tremuit, coelum expavit, dies fugit, sol obscuratus est, astra abscondentia radios suos, simul omnia migraverunt. Cujus descensu, confractis portis, luget infernum. Quo resurgente, laetantur angeli; exsultat terra cum habitatoribus suis. In quo triumpho, conspicitur comitatio illa prophetico ore promissa: Ero mors tua, o inferne. Ubi est ergo victoria tua? Nec enim ab alio poterat, nisi a vita mors devorari. Qui descensu suo eos qui tenebantur a morte, superis reddidit resurgendo: ut ejus resurrectio vivorum vel mortuorum testimonio firmaretur.
It is right and just, needful, and available to salvation, that mankind should, with all devotion, venerate thee, O Christ! admirable King! as its God and Lord. This is he, whose condemnation broke the chains that held countless believers in the prison of Limbo, and enrolled them under the Standard of Liberty. This is he, who was shown to the world as the Lion of the Tribe of Juda; and all the earth celebrates with joy the defeat of Satan, the lion that destroyed souls. This is he who permitted his Body to be fastened with nails to the wood of the Cross, that the wicked spirit might know how great is the power he has to fear. When he cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost, the earth shook, heaven trembled, day took flight, the sun was darkened, the stars hid their rays and disappeared. He descended into hell, broke its gates, and filled it with terror. He rose again, and the angels rejoiced; let the earth, and they that dwell therein, be glad. It was in this his triumph that was seen what the Prophet had foretold, when he said: I will be thy death, O hell! Where, then, is thy victory? For death could not be destroyed save by Life. Christ having descended to them that were captives of death, he restored them to life by his Resurrection, which was thus attested by both the living and the dead.
[1] Frigescente mundo. Collect for the Feast of the Stigmata of St Francis.
[2] Cœlitum, Joseph, decus atque nostræ Certa spes vitæ, columenque mundi. (Hymn for Lauds of the Feast of the Solemnity of St Joseph.)
[3] Gen. xli 55.
[4] The Life of St Teresa (translated by David Lewis, 1870), p. 34.
[5] La gioire de Saint-Joseph, par le P. Jean Jacquinot, de la Compagnie de Jesus. Dijon, 1645.
[6] St Matt ii 23.
[7] In the Monastic Rite, it is preceded by this Responsory: ℟. breve. Constituit eum dominum domus suae, * Alleluia, alleluia. Constituit ℣. Et principem omnis possessionis suæ. * Alleluia. Gloria Patri. Constituit.
[8] Ps. xi 2.
[9] 1 Thess. iv 5.