The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-03-14
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of the universe. Tell, if thou canst,
the dover which this admirable spouse
brought to thee, and the fruits which
thou dost derived from this sacred al
lance. Tell of the rich treasures
which fell to thy lot, through the pres
ence, the conversation, the prayer
and ardent charity of Mary during the
space of thirty years. On her God
had poured the plentitude of His
graces, and as she loved thee more
than any spouse ever loved her hus-
band, she desired to share with thee
all the advantages she enjoyed. Fully
penetrated with the sentiments of her
Son, she desired to kindle everywhere
the sacred fire of divine love: How
ardent must be the flames which she
kindled in the heart Of Joseph, a heart
prepared to receive all heavenly
favors!
Privileges of Joseph Considered as
Father of Jesus.
This title is a consequence of the
other. Thinking of this privilege, the
mind is astounded in considering the
glories of st. Joseph. We see him in
a manner associated to the glory Of
the divine paternity, since he is the
father of a Son who is the only Son
of God Himself; he is father, not
merely as a courteous title, but by the
delegation of the eternal Father, who
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the rights of father over his son;
father he is, through the operation of
the Holy Ghost, who creates in him
paternal heart, and imparts to it, to-
ward Jesus Christ, all the sentiments,
all the emotions, all the devotedness
of the heart of father. He becomes,
by grace, that which he is not by ma
ture. Like Mary, he is filled with ad-
miration and joy when he hears of
the great things that the Child is to
accomplish. His father and His
mother were wondering concerning the
things that were said of Him." Like
Mary, he is bowed down with sorrow
when he thinks that he has lost the
dear object of his affection. Think of
his anxiety, of his tears when he re-
turns to Jerusalem in search of
Jesus! "They return to Jerusalem
seeking Him Where is He? What
has become of the precious treasure
which heaven has confded to my
care?" How deep their affliction: but
how we'll did Mary know the heart of
Joseph, when, after finding Jesus, she
exclaimed Behold, Thy father and
l have sought Thee, sorrowing."
Admirable paternity of st. Joseph,
as consoling for us as it was glorious
for him! Did he become the father
of the Son of God without becoming
the father of his adopted children?
Can the father of Jesus not consider
as his children those whom Jesus con-
siders His brothers? We know, o
great saint, that thou hast the heart
of a father for the Word Incarnate,
and thou hast the same sentiments for
all those who through Him, and in
Him, have become the children of God!
We desire to participate in the senti-
ments of Jesus toward thee, viz, in
His filial affection, His respect, His
unbounded confidence.
Let us not omit, in our meditation,
the inestimable prerogatives enjoyed
by st. Joseph as a consequence of this
paternity AS father of Jesus, his duty
was to provide for Him. He who
gives food to all those who are hungry,
wished to receive his daily nourish-
ment from poor mechanic, who had
no other resource save the labor of
his hands. By the sweat of his brow
Joseph earns the means to sustain the
life of Jesus; and this life is to be
the salvation of the world.