Summa de donis de S. Joseph

Description

first published 1522

Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P., Mother of the Saviour and Our Interior Life, ch. 7 "The Predestination of St. Joseph and His Eminent Sanctity", ref:21.7.

St. Joseph’s pre-eminence was […] admitted by St. Teresa, by the Dominican Isidore de Isolanis, who appears to have written the first treatise on St. Joseph…

"III. De dono aetatis sancti Ioseph, tempore de sponsationis beatae Mariae." pp. 81-88 (PDF pp. 110-17); cf. "How old was St. Joseph when he married the Blessed Virgin Mary?":

in favor of a young St. Joseph

Spouses were roughly the same age. St. Mary was younger. ∴, St. Joseph was young.

St. Mary couldn't be thought to be St. Joseph's daughter.

St. Joseph needed to be young and healthy to protect St. Mary and Jesus, travel to different regions, and work for them.

The prophecy Isaiah 62:5: "For the young man [St. Joseph] shall dwell with the virgin [St. Mary]"

opposed to a young St. Joseph

He was middle-aged, but old enough to be manly and knowledgeable of Holy Scriptures.

He must have been old enough to have acquired a grave demeanor, prudence, and fortitude.

He stayed 7 years in Egypt. The Egyptians hated the Israelites, so he must have been old enough to defend against this.

"De donis virtutum circumstantium conversationem sancti Ioseph", p. 58 (PDF p. 87) on his religiosity: St. Jerome et al. argue he and St. Mary arose at midnight for prayer.

"De dono coniugis sancti Ioseph et beatis simae semper Virginis Mariæ", p. 70 (PDF p. 99): Arguments (incl. St. Thomas's) on how they had a true marriage despite both vowing their virginity.

"De donis admirabilium virtutum cognitarum in S. Ioseph propter coniugium beatissimae Virginis", p. 88 (PDF p. 117); St. Joseph the patron of the married.

"De dono artis fabrilis", p. 50 (PDF p. 79): Woodworking an honest profession ∵ wood is clean, beautiful, formable material.