MARCH 19TH, ST. JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY;

Commemoration of the Feria of Lent

Month in honor of the Mirror of Patience, Saint Joseph.

From the Roman Breviary —

From the Sermons of St. Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux.

2nd on Luke i. 26

What and what manner of man the blessed Joseph was, we may gather from that title wherewith, albeit only as a deputy, God deemed him fit to be honoured since he was both called, and supposed to be, the father of God. We may gather it from his very name, which, being interpreted, signifieth "Increase." Remember likewise that great Patriarch who was sold into Egypt, and know that the husband of Mary not only received his name, but inherited his purity, and was likened to him in innocence and in grace. If then, that [OT] Joseph that was sold by his brethren through envy and was brought down to Egypt, was a type [foreshadowing]of Christ sold by a disciple and handed over to the Gentiles, this other [NT] Joseph fleeing from the envy of Herod carried Christ into Egypt. That first Joseph kept loyal to his master, and would not carnally know his master's wife; that second Joseph acknowledged that his Lady, the Mother of his Lord, was a virgin, and he keeping himself in virginal chastity, guarded her faithfully. To that first Joseph it was given understanding in the interpreting of dreams; to the second Joseph it was given in sleep to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. The first Joseph stored up bread, not for himself, but for all [Egyptian] people; the second Joseph received into his keeping that Living Bread Which came down from heaven, not for him only, but for the whole world. We cannot doubt but that [NT] Joseph was good and faithful to whom was espoused the Mother of the Saviour. Yea, I say, he was "a faithful and prudent servant, whom the Lord appointed" to be the refuge of His own Mother, the keeper of His own Body, and the only and most faithful fellow worker in carrying out the Eternal Counsels.