Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/343

 * St,  Joseph,  I  consecrate  myself  to  thy  service forever:  do  thou  protect  me.

hat angel  or  saint"  says  St.  Basil,  "  ever merited to  be  called  the  father  of  the  Son of God? Joseph alone  was  thus  called." Hence  we  can  apply  to  St.  Joseph  the  words  of  St. Paul,  "  being  made  so  much  better  than  the  angels as he  hath  inherited  a  more  excellent  name  than they" (Heb.  i.  4).  St.  Joseph  was  more  honored  by God,  in  this  name  of  father,  than  all  the  patriarchs, prophets,  apostles,  and  pontiffs;  for  all  these  have the  name  of  servants,  Joseph  alone  that  of  father.


 * St. Joseph,  pray  thou  for  me  to  Jesus,  Whose foster-father  thou  art.

Jesus Himself  recommended  St.  Margaret  of Cortona  to  cherish  a  particular  devotion  to St.  Joseph,  and  never  to  allow  a  day  to  pass without rendering  him  some  homage  as  His  fosterfather. Let us  not,  then,  fail  to  recommend  ourselves to St. Joseph daily  and  several  times  a  day. Let us ask  him  for  graces:  he  will  obtain  them  all  for  us, so that  they  will  be  useful  to  our  souls.


 * St. Joseph,  make  me  faithful  in  invoking  thee daily.

t. Joseph,  as  father,  was  made  lord  of  the Holy Family;  a  family  that  was  little  in point  of  numbers,  but  great  on  account  of the  two  great  personages  who  composed  it — the Mother of  God,  and  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God made man:  "  He  made  him  master  of  His  house" (Ps. civ.  21). Joseph commanded  in  that  house,  and the Son  of  God  obeyed.