Patronage of St. Joseph. -Third Sunday after Easter.
by VP
Posted on Sunday April 21, 2024 at 01:00AM in Tradition
St. Joseph, Mother of Mercy, Washington, NC
"The Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph, which a decree of the Congregation of Rites has fixed on the third Sunday after Easter, originated among the Carmelites in 1680. A general chapter of the Carmelites had already, in 1621, solemnly recognized St. Joseph as patron and father of all the order. Some churches soon adopted the Feast of the Patronage. At present, in virtue of a decree of the 10th September, it extends to all Catholicity. Among the Redemptorists and Passionists, in the Society of Mary and the Society of Jesus, it is celebrated with its own octave and office, with the double rite of first class." Devotion to Saint Joseph by Fr. Giuseppe Antonio Patrignani 1897
PRAYER
O glorious St. Joseph, to whom God has confided, as to a most loving and powerful patron, His universal Church, protect, I beseech thee, in the first place, the Sovereign Pontiff, who is the Vicar of thy Son on earth; protect also all the prelates of Holy Church, and extend thy patronage over all the faithful, that both the pastors and their sheep may enjoy eternal happiness together in heaven. Amen.
In proclaiming St. Joseph Patron of the Universal Church, the Sovereign Pontiffs seem to have wished to implicitly acknowledge the hidden but real influence which the holy Patriarch has exercised and still does exercise not only over the Church Militant, but also over the souls that are suffering in purgatory. It may be assumed that St. Joseph, through his powerful intercession, hastens the liberation of those souls. Furthermore, the patronage of St. Joseph may be said to extend in some way over the saints who reign with Christ in heaven. For there is not one who is not in some manner indebted to the holy Patriarch for the happy attainment of his eternal salvation, since to his wonderful guardianship was due the preservation of the Redeemer's life. The angels also must in some way acknowledge their dependence on the most holy spouse of Mary, since they are inferior to him in glory, and thus form, as it were, a crown for him in heaven.
But it is especially in regard to ourselves who are still paying the penalty of the transgression of our first parents in this land of exile that St. Joseph exercises with special efficacy his all-powerful patronage. The more perfect a saint is in charity, the more eager is he in praying for us poor wayfarers here below, and the more efficacious are his prayers as he stands nearer the throne of God.
St. Joseph, therefore, whose charity is surpassed by that of no other saint, his holy spouse alone being excepted, prays for us sinners oftener and with greater efficacy than does any other saint. He even anticipates our requests, interpreting our desires and presenting our needs before the Throne of divine mercy. Wherefore, to him may be applied these words spoken of Jeremias: "This is a lover of his brethren and of the people of Israel: this is he that prayeth much for the people and for all the Holy City."
As the patronage of St. Joseph extends over the entire Church, there is therefore no earthly necessity for which the holy Patriarch cannot efficaciously provide. No man on this earth can assist us in all our needs, since human mercy and power are necessarily limited. But so unbounded is the compassion which St. Joseph feels toward us, so great is his power in heaven, that his patronage is restricted neither by time nor place, and there is no manner of grace which he cannot obtain for us. His fatherly care extends to all our needs and embraces even our future wants. It seems, therefore, as if Jesus Christ Himself would say to us what Pharao once said to the Egyptians: "Go to Joseph; and do all that he shall say to you."
St. Joseph's provident care extends, then, to all the faithful who have recourse to him with confidence. He asks of God
for them whatever spiritual graces they may need to lead holy lives.
Nor does he forget to obtain for them the temporal graces necessary for
their eternal salvation. In fact, as the ancient Joseph, once in charge of the granaries of Pharao, procured food for the people of Egypt during the time of famine, so St. Joseph's solicitous care embraces the domestic needs of the faithful who trust in him and call on his help with filial confidence." Go to Joseph, Our Unfailing Protector: Considerations on the Life and Virtue ...Very Rev. By Alexis Henri Marie Lepicier, O.S.M. 1923
Pleasure in serving God
by VP
Posted on Sunday April 21, 2024 at 01:00AM in Sermons
"Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, rejoice."— Phil. iv. 4.
"It has often been noticed, my dear brethren, and we every day come across examples of it, that when things are going well men think very little about God and about the practice of their religious duties. We may almost say that, as things are at present, most men will not perform their duty to God unless they are driven to do so by something unpleasant and hard to bear. It is when a man is taken ill that he sends for a priest and makes his confession and receives the Sacraments; as soon, however, as he gets well it is only too probable that he will return to his old ways.
Now, this shows that the service of God is felt by a great many to be a heavy burden and yoke. And I am sorry to say that this feeling is not confined to those whose passions and low propensities are so strong as to hold them down for a great part of their lives in slavery and subjection to sin and vice. Many even of those who have freed themselves for the most part from this degrading bondage seem far from the possession of that spirit of holy joy with which every one trying to serve God should be filled. Many even of these seem to find the yoke of the Lord a heavy one: and if they do not cast it off, it is chiefly because they are afraid to do so.
Now, I am not going to say a word against the service of God which springs from the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom.” The fear of God is not merely good-it is necessary for salvation. But it is only the beginning, not the perfection of wisdom. Moreover, it should not be the habitual dominant and constant motive of our religious life it should serve as a motive to fall back upon when higher motives are not felt. As St. Ignatius says: We should ask of God the grace to fear Him, so that if and when through our faults we grow forgetful of God's love, the fear of punishment may hold us back from offending Him. In other words, we ought, as a rule, to be serving God from love and holy joy rather than from fear and dread.
This is the teaching of the Holy Scripture, and especially of the great Apostle our patron, St. Paul. The text is but a sample of similar injunctions which might be found in every one of his Epistles "Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, rejoice." Do not be always looking upon the service of God as a heavy burden and yoke to which you must be driven as a fear of punishment, but let that service fill your souls at all times with delight and satisfaction. This is what St. Paul enjoins. Why is it not so with us? Why should it be so?
Well, there are ten thousand reasons why the service of God should be delightful and satisfactory; but I can refer to one only this morning— one, however, of which I think that we can all feel the force. As a rule, the man who is carrying on a
profitable and successful business is, so long as everything goes well,
tolerably happy. You don't see him going about with a long face, and
although he may grumble a little, as most men do, you can see that he
does not mean it. Now, if this is the case in the midst of the uncertainties which are inseparable from all human transactions, what ought to be the satisfaction and contentment of a man who has seriously taken in hand the one necessary business? For how does the case stand with such a man? The man who has seriously taken in hand the business of saving his own soul must succeed - for him
there is no such thing as failure. So long as he is willing he must be
prosperous. And why? Because he has Almighty God as a partner. And God
is ready to give him what I hope it is not irreverent to call unlimited
credit. In this life he pours into his soul His heavenly grace, and this
grace gives to all his actions a value which gives him a right to an eternal
recompense. No action from morning to night, from week's end to week's
end, but may be made profitable and fruitful, if done with a right
intention, and, of course, if there is nothing sinful in it. This is the position in which any and every man may be placed and may remain if he so wills, and of the sense and judgment of a man who is not satisfied by such terms I have but a poor opinion." Five-minute Sermons from the Paulist Fathers
St. Anselm, Arbishop of Canterbury, Confessor, A.D. 1109.
by VP
Posted on Sunday April 21, 2024 at 01:00AM in Saints
"Saint Anselm was born in Piedmont, and reclaimed from the disorders of his youth by the piety of the famous Lanfranc. By his advice, and that of the archbishop of Rouen, he became a religious, and made such advancement in all virtue, that he was soon chosen prior, and then abbot. He was all to all, by courtesy and charity, that he might find occasions of giving every one some suitable instructions to promote their salvation. Going afterwards to England to consult Lanfranc, then archbishop of Canterbury, his virtue so much recommended him to King William II., that after the death of Lanfranc, he obliged him to fill up that vacancy. His zeal however raised up so many enemies against him, and brought upon him so severe a persecution from the king, that he was forced to leave the kingdom. After three years, the king being dead, St. Anselm returned, but met with fresh opposition from the new king, Henry I. Amidst his troubles and public distractions, he often retired to his devotions, and watched long in them during the night. Leaving England to consult Pope Paschal II., he was forbidden by the king to return, unless he would comply with his unjust demands. Soon after, the king himself invited him to return; and he was received with great joy by the whole kingdom. But he survived only three years; and happily expired, laid on sackcloth and ashes, at Canterbury, in the year 1109, in the seventy-sixth of his age.
Let his eminent virtues arm you against despair in regard of those, whose disorderly youth gives you little hopes of good. God often shows his power in their conversion, and makes of them vessels of honour. Upon the same grounds despair not of yourself, whatever your present weakness be; but still continue on your endeavours for amendment, under the conduct of a director, whose prudence, piety, and patience may support you under the delays of your obstinate evil. Zeal is not only commendable, but necessary, amidst the general corruptions of the world; but if it gives up at the displeasure of men, it is not the zeal of the Gospel. He must have courage to suffer for justice and truth, who undertakes their cause." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
Eighth Meditation: The Penitent's Address to God His Father. St. Anselm's book of meditations and prayers, tr. by M.R. By Saint Anselm (Archbishop of Canterbury)
(...) "Rescue me, O Lord my God, and snatch me out of the hands of my enemies; for they too are Thine, they are the subjects of Thy almighty power; and they hate nothing of good works in me except what Thou hast given me. There is nothing in me that they hate, but only that I love Thee. And they scheme with all their endeavours, with all their might, with all their craft, to prevent my loving Thee, glorifying Thee, and ever seeking Thee. Therefore let not the enemies of Thy glory be too strong for me; but let them be the more confounded as they see that I, bent on praising Thee and glorifying Thee, am seeking with all best endeavours that peace and glory of Thine, which they are intent upon diminishing."
A Prayer to Christ for my Enemies. By Saint Anselm
LORD Jesus Christ, Lord of all power and goodness, whom I pray to be gracious to my friends. Thou knowest what my heart desireth for mine enemies. For Thou, O God, who triest the very hearts and reins,Thou knowest the secrets of my heart within me. For it
is not hidden from Thee. If Thou hast sown in the soul of Thy servant
what he may offer to Thee, and if that enemy and I have sown there
likewise what is to be burned with fire, that also is before Thine eyes.
Despise
not, most gracious God, that which Thou hast sown, but cherish it and
give it increase and bring it to perfection and preserve it for ever. For as
I could begin no good thing without Thee, so can I neither finish it
nor keep it in safety except by Thy help. Judge me not, O merciful God,
according to that which displeaseth Thee in me, but take away what Thou
hast not planted, and save my soul which Thou hast created. For I cannot amend myself without Thee, because if we be good it is Thou that dost make us and not we ourselves. Neither can my soul endure Thy judgment, if Thou wilt judge her according to her wickedness. Thou therefore, O Lord, who alone art mighty, whatsoever Thou makest me to desire for mine enemies, be that Thy gift unto them, and Thine answer to my prayer. And if I at any time ask for them
anything which transgresseth the rule of love, whether through
ignorance or through infirmity or through wickedness, neither do that to
them, nor fulfil my petition therein.
Thou who art the true Light, enlighten their blindness. Thou who art supreme Truth, amend their error. Thou art the true Life, quicken their souls. For Thou hast said by Thy beloved Disciple, He that loveth not his brother, abideth in death.1 I pray therefore, O Lord, that Thou grant to them so much love of Thee and of their neighbour as Thou commandest us to have, lest they should have sin before Thee concerning their brother.
Forbid it, O good Lord, forbid it that I should be to my brethren an occasion of death, that I should be to them a stone of stumbling and rock of offence. For it is enough and more than enough that I should be an offence unto myself; mine own sin is sufficient for me. Thy servant entreateth Thee for his fellow-servants that they should not on my account offend so great and good a Master, but be reconciled to Thee, and agree with me according to Thy will for Thy sake. This is the vengeance which my inmost heart desireth to ask of Thee upon my fellow-servants, mine enemies and fellow-sinners. This is the punishment which my soul asketh upon my fellow-servants and enemies, that they should love Thee and one another, according to Thy will and as is expedient for us, so that we may satisfy our common Master both as concerning ourselves and as concerning one another and serve our common Lord in unity by the teaching of charity to the common good. This vengeance I, Thy sinful servant, pray may be prepared against all those that wish me evil and do me evil. Do Thou prepare this also, most merciful Lord, against Thy sinful servant likewise.
Come then, O my good Creator and merciful Judge, and by Thy mercy which passeth all reckoning, forgive me all my debts as I in Thy presence forgive all my debtors. And if not yet, because hitherto my spirit doth not so forgive perfectly according to Thy measure but willeth so to do and accomplisheth by Thy help what it can, doing violence to itself, this imperfect forgiveness I offer to Thee as it is, that Thou mayest be pleased perfectly to forgive me my sins and according to Thy power, be gracious unto my soul.
Hearken unto me, hearken unto me, O great and good Lord, with desire for the love of whom my soul is fain to feed herself, but cannot satisfy her hunger for Thee, to call upon whom my mouth findeth no name that sufficeth my heart. For there is no word that expresseth unto me that which by Thy grace my heart conceiveth concerning Thee. I have prayed, O Lord, as I could, but my will was greater than my power.
Hearken unto me, hearken unto me, according to Thy power, who canst do
whatsoever Thou dost will. I have prayed as one weak and sinful, hear
me, O hear me, as one mighty and merciful; and grant unto my friends and unto mine enemies not only what I have prayed, but what Thou knowest to be expedient for each
one, and agreeable to Thy will. Grant to all, both living and dead, the
help of Thy mercy; and ever hear me not according to the desires of my heart or the requests of my lips,
but as Thou knowest and willest that I ought to will and to ask, O
Saviour of the world, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and
reignest God, world without end. Amen.
