The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-04-22

The March 10 feast is. one of the 'mmovobls
type of festival, and it falls every year on this
fixed date. The Solemnty of ST. Joseph is movable
feast it falls on the Wednesday of the second week
after the Easter octave.
March 10 always falls in Lent; sometimes this
date occurs in Holy Week II is suitable, therefore,
that there should be another feast of st. Joseph
in season of triumph and joy For this reason the
Feast of the Solemnity has been established. For
the same reason the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament
celebrated on Holy Thursday in the very midst OF
the time of penance and sacred sorrow, is again
observed just after the glorious paschal season.
on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday this
feast is called Corpus Christi.
Special devotions develop in the Church with
relative slowness. When the wonderful Faith was
spread throughout the world its essential articles,
which we list in the Creed claimed 'he whole atten-
ton of the faithful Only when people had time, so
TO speak, to get used to the priceless treasure OF
the Faith itself could they turn active attention to
the incidental beauties and values which it involves
The Blessed Mother is named in the Creed IL
is impossible to have any knowledge of the Incar-
nation without some appreciation on the part Mary
played in it, Therefore the veneraton of the Blessed
Virgin and special devotcns in her honor were
found in the lives and practices of the earliest Ca
tholics. Special attention to ST. Joseph with
detailed awareness of the exalted place he holds IN
the economy of Redemption, came, in some sense,
as an after-thought. And yet it came early, and
logically, into the view of those who studied the
Faith with loving appreciation.
Fbr no one who considers the Gospel narrative
of the Incarnation be long unaware of the Just
man who spouse and protector OF the Mother
of God and of the Goldman Himself in his early
years on earth We read of the Annunciaon, and OF
Mary's humble concurrence in the viii of God who
wrought great things in her. Then we hear of JOS
eph puzzled by the divine events of which he had
not yet been fully informed thinking only of the
safety of his holy spouse; proposing 10 put her
away" lest she be wrongly punished as an offender
hearing finally the word Of Gods angel that what
was conceived in Mary was of the Holy Ghost.
ST. Joseph is part of the Gospel history which
tells of the journey TO Bethlehem for the census or
"enrong" which had been deereed by Caesar Au
gustus He is an important figure in the narrative
of the flight into Egypt, and OF the return to Naz
areth He is mentioned prominently,-indeed by
the Blessed Mother herself in one of the few sent
ences given by the Gospel IN her own w0rds-at
the finding of Our Lord in the Temple after the
three sad days Of loss And after this event this
first public appearance Of Christ, and His first
open declaration of His purpose in becoming man,
to be about His Fathers business He went
with Mary and Joseph to the home in Nazareth,
land was subject TO them" He was subject not
only to Mary but also to Joseph
Thus IL is plain to the thoughtful believer that
ST. Joseph holds high place indeed in the enact
ing of the Incarnation and the Redemption. Next TO
Nary he is the first of mankind to be called into
the gracious intimacy of the living Christ Great and
holy must he be who is chosen by God to be the
spouse of His dear Mother and 10 be the companion
and protector of the Incarnate Son. Mary said, He
who is mighty hath done great things to me-. Apart
from the incarnation itself surely one of the
great things" was the support and consolation
an ia fho dnnr Nh hpr
and who divinely guided in his care of her
and of her child.
The hidden life of Our Lord lasted through
thirty years. Some time during those years, st.
Joseph died We know from the first events of the
Public Life of Christ that His foster father was no
longer living His death must have occurred in the
presence OF Joseph and fary For this reason, ST.
Joseph is known the patron of happy death. We
pray to him that he may beg God to grant us the
great blessing of dying in the state OF grace, 80
that we may come quickly into the heavenly
presence of Jesus and Mary.
ST. Joseph is the Patron of the Universal Church
He who was the lover and guardian of the Savior,
is surely inercessor for all whom the Savior
came TO save His interest in souls like that of his
virginia. spouse is world vide He is indeed named
patron of many chlrch and of countless individ-
uals who bear his name. But above and beyond
these individual services, ST. Joseph is the patron
or all MANKIND, ana "eSpeclally lnoSe VINO are Oh
the household Of the faith"
No one who is truly devoted TO St Joseph can
fail to be devoted to Mary. And no devoted
To Mary ever fails in ardent devotion to Mary's Son
who is God Himself. This holy couple ever close
TO Our Lord are powerful instruments to bring
others close to Him The devout Catholic is always
client of Mary; he carries her rosary with him;
he prays it frequently And he includes in his daily
prayers a strong petition to St Joseph for protection
ard guidance.
We all have need of reminder, and again,
not only of duty but OF privilege, We need to be
put in mind of the great spiritual opportunities
ever available for our graspine Our watehful
mother the Church. gives us needful prods to
ory and action by her prescribed days of festival
The Feast of the Soemnity of St Joseph is meant
to remind us,--not for one day or one octave, but
for life-of the rich Source of spiritual benefits
to be through devotion TO the foster-father of
Our Lord.
And doubtless the same Solemnty will stir us
to humble sorrow for past neglect of ST. Jos
eph II easy for fallen nature to fail in spiritual
appreciation and to offerd against common spir
tual politeness. Maybe we have apologies to make
to 81 Joseph.