Visit to St. Joseph - Third day

 

           Visit to St. Joseph

                      Day 3

What angel or saint says St. Basil,  ever merited to be called the father of the Son of God? Joseph alone was thus called. Hence we can apply to St. Joseph the words of St. Paul,  being made so much better than the angels as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they (Heb. i. 4). St. Joseph was more honored by God, in this name of father, than all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and pontiffs; for all these have the name of servants, Joseph alone that of father.

St. Joseph, pray thou for me to Jesus, Whose foster-father thou art.

 

Prayer

My holy Patriarch, I rejoice at thy happiness and greatness in being made worthy to have power to command, with the authority of a father, Him Whom heaven and earth obey, and to make Him obey thee. My holy Patron, since a God has served thee, I too wish to enroll myself in thy service; I choose thee, after Mary, for my principal advocate and protector. I promise to honor thee every day by some special devotion, and each day I will place myself under thy protection. Through the sweet company of Jesus and Mary, which thou didst enjoy during life, protect me during my whole life, that I may never be separated from God by losing His grace. And through the assistance which Jesus and Mary gave thee at death, protect me at the hour of my death, that, dying in the company of thee, of Jesus and Mary, I may one day go to thank thee in paradise, and in thy company praise and love thy God to all eternity. Amen.