(BOSS O ï. t M F. V (BOWS ! l? ’’ 3 St, Joseph and Providence Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P of St. Joseph as the greatest of the saints after Man ha* been growing in the Church for the last five centunce Gerson, St. Bernardine of Siena, St. Teresa, St. Francis de Sale Suarez, St. Alphonsus, and Leo XIII taught this doctrine of St. Joseph’s high status. In his encyclical on St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. Leo XIII says: "There is no doubt that St. Jnsepi. the spouse of Mary·, approached more nearlv than any other the supereminent dignity by which the Mother of God F elevated to above all other creatures.” For this reason it would even seem that bt. Joseph surpasses the angels, being invoked before them in pivine Praise» recited after benediction of the Blessed SacrameKLikewse in toe prayer. .1 .-wr/,. he is named immediately^’ t G. '"i Γ. "" ·= 'P-cial preface: the o. . ,n..i i. . . ‘j·*-»' t u« him ,»·ι ! he is proclaimed p nutor "t ere fi t ■;.... r Ί h· r.. ;Ls< .:> Gr Joseph i-'.ri;. ■ Ilir , x,q··. ■ ί -.-i d'·.·· ci rids ;■ p;<.j ■ :■ I sanctity. St. Thorns ofud.·· di - pria. ,»j>pli· :bh: : ■ ! .. ,,: ; J n')t ,· nJ". lcv:'rf natur* rdi r. bn- :t <’v ·:■’!, . ... ! ’ p-‘-:;iri<. .■'i'm ·. d ■ ·, :;·,· ■■ .-..r, · >’ --i 1: ■· tt. ·.-.'·, .-f >■■■. J iim th#· and that i-f t?·..’ Arx^t!· ix-ine ecognition R ST. JOSEPH AND PROVIDENCE 375 the order of grace and of salvation; that of St. Joseph appro.o iirs die mission of Mary, the Mother of God. The divine maternity belongs by reason of its end intrindiaih. physically, and immediately to the hypostatic order, since Man i> :hr mother of the Word made flesh. Joseph's mission heir : gx vxtriasically, morally, and mediately fthr-mgh Mary) to the hxp. 'tat;»>;reri:.r to the predestination of all ■ ‘her men. Joseph was predestined in consequence t< the high. degree of glory and grace .ifn Mc.ri. \nd :>Ith-*ugh he me the lather of Jesus in the ■’.-·.·>( <-i fathers toward Jesus. Su.I: i- the re.o'p for hb exception d *ai.. titv. Miith b second only to xh.it -f Mar*·. Bmmet has brought · u’ clear λ d·· •'**•1. d.d char h '■ - < f s;· J·'(.ph’s mission in his firs·· pa;>egyr· ·’: th· Saint, by comparing " \l l>ng .·ÎÎ ' h> n-.is.d.-in with that of the kp· -th '■ H·· mially rrr.b · m· f natice two in the Ser prare.' wh.il- '>· > r «ties - 'i a' t.'·.· epodes' and Joseph's. Je« :s i.- -e· ·■ ■;:><· · ‘l·· ”'. i’ i he hoar < ! tl mani· : ■ "cd f . · . .. η··ι set m< ; thi.~ h ; . life, Perte· tion ra. rt· » ■■ vi^ ation bur the v> .·' ■ 376 CROSS AND CROWN obscurity exceeds that of the Apostles because it more closely touche’ the mystery of the redemptive Incarnation. St. Joseph’s mission was twofold, first, in relation to Mary aiu. second, in relation to Jesus. By virtue of his first mission St. Joseph preserved Mary’s virginity by contracting with her a true but ab­ solutely holy marriage. No shadow however slight was to touch the honor of the Son and that of His Mother. Moreover, Mary f>.:una in Joseph help and protection. He loved her with a most pur':, devoted, theological love, for he loved her in God and for trd. The beautv of the entire universe was nothing compared to the. sublime union of these two souls-- a union created by the Most Hiea. which ravished the angels and gave joy to the Lord Himselt. In relation to the Word made flesh. Joseph watched over Huu protected Hirn, contributed to His human education. He was mon than a foster or adopted father, for a man becomes a foster fatn.tr or even the adopted father of a child by chance, whereas it v,.is L design that Joseph became the foster father of the Word made tksh. He was created and placed in the world to that end: it was the fw purpose of his predestination and the raison d'etre for all the g’acf a father toward Jesus as an immediate result of the divine power. G·'» the Father gave Joseph a father’s love toward Jesus; for this Joseph did not fear to command Him. Joseph was predt -tin· ■■■ ■ of all, to serve as a father to the Savior, who cou’.i : ■> one on earth; then, to receive a high degree of glorv and that he might be the worthy protector of the Savior of men.” St Joseph’s virtues are especially those of the hidden life and art in proportion to his degree of sanctifying grace: virginity hmniSrt. pm-eny, patjuce, prudence, umhaûble'fidélité. .Minpiitir. Η* muuwo · · ·..·.< m <. u . js „ ( . •!iant? H ’i ' treasures with a W P^ portionaœ to J- . m- ·..>.,< vaIue 1ψ or·.-· m t .^«selves entin 1·. / f ; ’ ’ neglect mtennr and app(„e f,- ST. JOSEPH AND PROVIDENCE 377 kct the effective and the solid . . . and yet ail the mystery of genuine ■ «tie is in its secret character. . . . Otherwise there is only the senit'iance of virtue, which does not make a man according to the heart of G-jd. Joseph, the simple man, sought God; Joseph, the detached man, finiti God; Joseph, the withdrawn man, enjoyed God.’’ .St. Joseph s humility was confirmed by the thought of the gratuity >iis exceptional vocation. Why did our heavenly Father give His only' ■Son to me. Joseph, to safeguard? “What hast thou that thou hast oa received?’ Joseph appears as the mo-t humble of all the saints ■uit-r Mary, more humble than any »>f die angels. Because Joseph is the most humble, he is the grcatc-t of ail for the virtues being Haled, the depth of humility is proportionate i·· the elevation of iharity. Jesus Himself op: "lie who i- the Ic-cr among you, he i· the greater.’’' Jos-p.1·,, far fr.-m boa-ting of hi- gift-, hid himself, enjoying; peacefully vddi (ini dir m-.-terv nvc.iled to hm;. "He posmS'i.s the God-man ?.·■.<; -,·λ- i.■■’.liiug ab -m it." ■ p. V T. In -pile of the obs- -trit-- f th·· place in whjifi was accentuât· g a Ikthlcheni id:· ’.ht imi" during Chri.-t:i.a- night, m·' faith He suffered because he had n-)tiii::g t ■ ghc Mary and her son. H ■rust, in God was manifested in trial, during tin; flight in*. - li-gypt Hi­ li ve of God and souls did not cease to grow ar Ν.ι/.ιιπ!’.. particularly when he .held the Child Jesus in his arms, the Child wh> - the sottn e •■f ever new and ever loftier graces. The acceleration -f the growth ··> his thiiriiv was prodigious. being far more rapid in later life than in his in St. J-oeph ! ..ther three h. .1 pooi ■■ ■ · f th hi:; I ■ I■ I ■ sunJicHe >. ;iu ( .‘i fl .?. t n- v. . Γ * ; Ik bd- lG ■»•48. .u 27-52. 378 CROSS AND CROWN and that St. Joseph entered heaven with body and soul. St. Thomas is much more reserved on this point.4 The litany of St. Joseph oilers a series of titles of supemat’irai splendor which clearly show us his role. Like Providence he is c-.oipied with the most universal things {e.g., the reunion of the Church* ■ and with most particular things >'e.g., the finding of shoes mr a poor man;. He is mindful of the greatest sinners and the M advanced souls. Making us persevere in the road to salvation Joseph is terrible to the devil, against whom he is our great defense. In hi· relation to man Joseph is above all the. patron of a happy death. balance between Action and Contemplation Raytiumd A.1arlti'' ί'·!'·^· . , i‘ !....)■>< Mrrti-n üCHlC . :1it .-f·1 b4'll,,K "n· 1 -.......... ; nd<.'> Tj-:'· iM. :■·’=. .π· • .... .... -.tit tvn ■·· ‘ ,.raU,l i- un ; .7.:^.· · U::·- - - ?' T'^'? Α.’^Ι . ..{ !;··ΙΠ UK ·*' i/r1. . υι fTr>^ Λ Π.Ι. ■■■■.-: , P-, .■ ■■„ W'.p,.^ ■■ e r.pl\ . :n.Si.l. .... ·'.■·. . U i —^!1“‘ ·' » ·>■!■- naîurai that our judgments should be colored m our :n jusrihinç set purposes and natural prodiviû«? by invoking iô-Lr-g nriiji'ioJes \ m-ïn who tines cnuiPaii' Will fall Oiflli * " i.· itjir ?>» mri«n,in rharht io itisUI» iivoUiat «*ίΛ·ι.θι«-> front .. W£ a It -ÎS fttfqux U iS-i i ί.’.» We hard!·, realize fh