Vigils Reading – St Joseph the Worker

THE VIRTUES OF ST JOSEPH

From the Spiritual Conferences of St Francis de Sales2

The just shall flourish like the palm-tree… The palm has a strength, courage, and even constancy far beyond all other trees… The palm shows its strength in this, that the more it is laden, the more it shoots up and the higher it grows; which is quite unlike all other trees… for the more heavily they are laden, the more they bow down to the earth. The palm, however, shows its strength and constancy, never bending down, whatever load is placed upon it… Certainly St. Joseph is most justly said to resemble the palm, for he was always constant, persevering, strong, and valiant…

As regards his constancy, did he not display it wonderfully when, seeing Our Lady with child, and not knowing how that could be, his mind was tossed with distress, perplexity, and trouble? Yet, in spite of all, he never complained, he was never harsh or ungracious towards his holy Spouse, but remained just as gentle and respectful in his demeanour as he had ever been. But what valour and strength did he not display in the victor which he gained over the two greatest enemies of man, the devil and the world? And that by the practice of a most perfect humility… throughout the whole course of his life… We may, therefore, well say: “Valiant and strong is the man who, like St. Joseph, perseveres in humility; he will be conqueror at once of the devil and of the world, which is full of ambition, vanity, and pride.”

As regards perseverance, which overcomes that secret enemy of our souls, weariness and dejection under the continued assaults of humbling, painful circumstances… how greatly was the Saint tried in this way by God and man in his journey into Egypt! The Angel commanded him to set forth immediately and to take Our Lady and the Holy Child into that country. Instantly, without a moment’s delay, without even a word, he obeys. He does not ask: “Where shall I go? What road shall I take? How shall we be fed?… With his tools on his back, so that he may earn his poor livelihood and that of his family in the sweat of his brow, he sets forth on his journey…

God wills that he should be always poor… And what poverty – despised, rejected, needy poverty! That voluntary poverty which is one of the vows of Religious is very mild… forbidding and depriving them only of superfluities. But the poverty of St. Joseph, of Our Lord and of Our Lady, was not like this, for although it too was voluntary, and although they loved it dearly, it was nevertheless abject, mean, despised, and most needy; for every one looked upon this Saint as a poor carpenter. Though he toiled with the most affectionate zeal for the support of his little family, yet he could not earn enough to prevent their wanting many necessary things. Then, as the years went on, and his poverty and abjection continued, he still submitted always most humbly to the will of God. He never allowed himself to be conquered or subdued by dejection of mind, which yet, no doubt, constantly attacked him, but always increased and grew in moreperfect submission as in all other virtues…

St. Joseph is, then, undoubtedly in heaven in body and soul… If we have confidence in him, he will obtain for us growth in all virtues, but especially in those which, as we have seen, he possesses in a higher degree than any other man. These are great purity of body and mind, humility, constancy, courage, and perseverance. These virtues will make us victorious in this life over our enemies, and through them we shall merit the grace to enjoy… eternal life