Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/346

 through the  joy  which  thou  didst  afterwards  feel  in finding  Him  in  the  temple,  obtain  for  me  the  grace that I  may  also  find  Him  again  in  my  heart,  by  His grace, and  that  I  may  never  more  lose Him.


 * St. Joseph,  increase  our  faith,  and  render  it more  lively,  especially  in  the  presence  of  Jesus  in the  Most  Holy  Sacrament.

hen God,  says  St.  Thomas,  destines  any  one for a  particular  charge,  He  gives  him  the graces which  fit  him  for  it. God having, then, chosen  St.  Joseph  to  fill  the  charge  of  a  father over the  person  of  the  Incarnate  Word,  we  must certainly believe  that  He  conferred  upon  him  all  the wisdom of  sanctity  which  became  such  an  office. Gerson says  that  amongst  other  privileges  Joseph had three  which  were  special  to  him:  i.  That  he  was sanctified in  his  mother's  womb,  as  were  Jeremias and St. John the  Baptist;  2. That he  was  at  the same time  confirmed  in  grace;  3. That he  was always exempt  from  the  inclinations  of  concupiscence — a privilege  with  which  St.  Joseph,  by  the  merit  of his  purity,  favors  his  devout  clients,  delivering  them from carnal  appetites.


 * St. Joseph,  shining  light  of  chastity,  preserve the  angelic  virtue  in  me.

N the  Gospel  St. Joseph is  called  JUST. What is meant  by  a  just  man? St. Peter  Chrysologus  says  that  "  it  means  a  perfect  man, one  who  possesses  all  virtues." Joseph was  already holy before  his  marriage;  but  how  much  must  his sanctity have  increased  after  his  union  with  the divine Mother? The example  of  his  holy  spouse sufficed to  sanctify  him. But since  Mary,  as  St.