Visit to St. Joseph
Day 12
When God, says St. Thomas, destines any one for a particular charge, He gives him the graces which fit him for it. God having, then, chosen St. Joseph to fill the charge of a father over the person of the Incarnate Word, we must certainly believe that He conferred upon him all the wisdom of sanctity which became such an office. Gerson says that amongst other privileges Joseph had three which were special to him: i. That he was sanctified in his mother's womb, as were Jeremias and St. John the Baptist; 2. That he was at the same time confirmed in grace; 3. That he was always exempt from the inclinations of concupiscence — a privilege with which St. Joseph, by the merit of his purity, favors his devout clients, delivering them from carnal appetites.
St. Joseph, shining light of chastity, preserve the angelic virtue in me.
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.
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