Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/507

 thy grief,  and  by  the  unspeakable  joy  thou  hadst when the  Angel  of  God  opened  to  thee  the  mystery of the  Incarnation  of  the  Eternal  Word,  pray  for  us, that endeavouring  to  advance  thy  honour  and  worship through the  whole  world,  we  may,  by  God’s  holy grace, overcome  all  affliction  and  dejection  of  mind in this  life,  and  in  the  other  become  a fit  mansion  of the  Holy  Ghost  for  all  eternity. Amen.

Our Father,  etc.

Hail Mary,  etc.

THRICE happy  Joseph,  foster  father  to  Jesus!

by the  great  grief  that  pierced  thy  heart  when thou didst  contemplate  this  beloved  infant  lying  in the  manger,  weeping  and  shivering  with  cold,  and by the  great  joy  thou  receivedst  in  beholding  the holy angels  adoring  and  honouring  him  with  their heavenly music,  and  in  seeing  the  three  kings  prostrate before  him,  and  offering  him  their  precious gifts; pray for  us,  O great  Saint,  to  the  end  that our souls  may  become  a fit  mansion  to  receive our Saviour,  and  that  we  may  lodge  and  keep  him always therein,  even  to  the  last  moment  of  our  lives; that then  we  may  find  and  enjoy  him  in  heaven,  in the  possession  of  his  everlasting  glory. Amen.

Our Father,  etc.

Hail Mary,  etc.

GREAT Joseph,  a man  according  to  God’s  own heart! by the  grief  thou  didst  feel  at  the  circumcision of  the  tender  infant  Jesus,  shedding  his  most precious blood,  and  by  the  joy  thou  hadst  in  giving him the  most  sweet  name  of  Jesus,  according  to  the