Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/344

 * St. Joseph, by  the  obedience  which  Jesus  rendered thee,  make  me  always  obedient  to  the  will  of God.

osue excited  the  admiration  of  the  whole world when  he  commanded  the  sun  to  stop in its  course,  that  he  might  have  time  to conquer  his  enemies;  and  the  sun  obeyed. But what comparison  can  there  be  between  Josue,  whom the sun,  an  inanimate  creature  obeyed,  and  Joseph, who was  obeyed  by  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God?


 * St. Joseph,  so  great,  and  at  the  same  time  so humble,  obtain  me  true  humility.

T. Bernard,  speaking  of  St.  Joseph,  says:  "  He was  a  prudent  and  faithful  servant,  whom Our  Lord  made  the  solace  of  His  Mother, the  nourisher  of  His  humanity,  and,  in  fine,  the most  faithful  co-operator  in  the  great  council  on earth."


 * St. Joseph,  save  us;  our  salvation  is  in  thy hands.

ccording to  St.  John  Damascene,  "  God  gave St.  Joseph  the  love,  the  care,  and  the  authority of  a  father  over  Jesus:  He  gave  him  the affection  of  a  father,  that  he  might  guard  Him  with great  love;  the  solicitude  of  a  father,  that  he  might watch  over  Him  with  care;  and  the  authority  of  a father,  that  he  might  feel  sure  that  he  would  be obeyed  in  all  that  he  arranged  as  to  the  person  of this  Son."


 * St. Joseph,  be  thou  always  a  father  to  us,  and may  we  ever  be  thy  faithful  children.