"From the tribe of Juda,
from the family of David,
great patriarchs were to arise,
famous leaders of the people,
most noble kings;
but God did not choose any of these.
He chose Joseph alone.
Joseph was the beloved one."
St. Joseph.
His name is so familiar to us.
We see his statues in our churches
and hear his name in litanies and prayers.
Many of us have even asked for his help
when selling our house.
But have you ever stopped to think about it?
Not one of St. Joseph's actual spoken words
are recorded in the Bible!
He appears for only a short time in the Gospels
- as a
central figure in the story
of Christ's birth and childhood -
but by Easter he is nowhere to be found.
Don't be fooled.
Joseph's role in Salvation History
begins much earlier
than his betrothal to Mary,
and lasts much longer than
his brief appearance in the Scriptures.
A rich devotion has developed to honor him
which can be traced back to the Fathers of the Church.
Love for this great saint has continued to grow
and in 1874 Pope Pius IX declared him
Patron and Guardian of the Universal Church.
Scripture and Tradition
So, what do we know about St. Joseph?
Besides the brief glimpse we see of him in the Bible,
most of what we know
has been handed down through tradition
or been revealed to saints and mystics.
Amazing details about the life of the Holy Family
have been revealed in visions,
such as those to
St. Bridget and Venerable Mary de Agreda.
"To describe the life and
the glories of Joseph
is to describe at the same time
the life of Jesus
and the glories of Mary;
for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,
are so intimately united."
God, Himself, commanded Joseph
to take Mary and Jesus
into his care -
to protect, guard and defend them.
Just as we believe that while on the cross
Jesus gave Mary to the world
as our spiritual Mother,
in the same way,
God gave Joseph
to the world to be our
protector, guardian, and defender -
our spiritual Father.
This amazing book compiles
centuries of writings about St. Joseph
into one convenient and easy-to-read volume.
Scripture studies, researchers,
Early Church Fathers,
saints and mystics
can all be found here -
each one bringing
St. Joseph more to life
for us today.
This book will astound readers
both with its scope and with its depth.
Organized in short and logical chapters,
this is a carefully reasoned analysis of the entirety of
that great saint's role in the history of Salvation
and the life of the Church.
This is a great book
if you've ever wanted to know more
about St. Joseph, including:
- His spiritual life
- His noble lineage
- How he was prefigured in the Old Testament
- His relationship to Mary and Jesus
- His joys and sufferings as Foster Father to the Christ Child
- Why he was named "The Patron of the Universal Church"
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Here are some samples of the wonderful insights
you will learn:
An Angel Appears to Joseph
(Matthew 1:20-21)
"This is the first time that we hear
of an angel appearing to Joseph,
but it does not mean that he had never
previously received a heavenly visit.
It does not appear to have excited
any wonder in him, as in one
not conversant with angelic communications,
for he immediately recognized
the messenger who addressed him
as being sent by God,
although he spoke to him only in his sleep.
Hence we may form a high estimate
of Joseph's faith, to whom so little sufficed
to make him believe."
***
Naming the Christ Child
"The Son, who was to be born of Mary,
had no earthly father.
It belonged to His Heavenly Father
to confer upon Him His name:
that is the father's office and right;
and the Eternal Father transferred this right
to Joseph,
willing that in His place
he should impose on Him the name of Jesus,
and, in doing so, He constituted him
His representative in all a father's rights,
and expressly confided to his paternal care
His Only-Begotten Son."
***
Finding Jesus in the Temple
(While St. Joseph was searching for the Child Jesus)
"He suffered incomparable affliction and grief,
going from one place to another,
sometimes with his holy spouse, sometimes alone,
while she made search in another direction...
For the love he bore the Divine Child
was so intense that it urged him to seek
for his lost Treasure
with an anxiety and a vehemence
which made him forget either
to eat or to sleep."
***
Joseph, Our Patron
"If Joseph, then, is our patron
and the most powerful of patrons
on every conceivable ground...
so also is he the patron of all and every class
for special reasons in each case.
He is the patron of families,
since he was the head of the Holy Family.
He is the patron of the poor,
since he voluntarily embraced and followed
for all his days a life of poverty.
He is the patron of the artisan,
as the workshop of Nazareth testified
for so many years.
He is the patron of the rich
who seek a better inheritance,
since he held in his possession
for nigh upon thirty years
the true riches (Jesus and Mary) ...
he is the patron of the suffering, of travelers,
of exiles, of the afflicted;
he is the patron of the married,
and he is the patron of virgins;
he is the patron of the dying,
but, above all, we might say,
he is the patron of priests.
The priest is another Joseph."
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The Life and Glories of St. Joseph
$16.95
Softcover
516 pages
Written by:
Edward Healy Thompson, M.A.
Grounded on the dissertations of Canon Antonio Vitali,
Father Jose Moreno, and Other Writers
Order online now or call
1.866.522.8465
www.catholiccompany.com
You may also be interested in this related set:
Life and Glories of St. Joseph &
Favorite Prayers of St. Joseph
Set on sale for $21.52
This discounted set includes:
Life and Glories of St. Joseph &
Favorite Prayers of St. Joseph.
Items also sold separately.
The Favorite Prayer of St. Joseph
is an easy to use Large Print edition.
St. Joseph obtains favors of any kind,
but particularly in family problems, financial needs,
purity, dangers, work, housing and a happy death.
He is the universal patron -
whatever our petition is, you can pray
to St. Joseph with confidence.
This book contains all the famous prayers:
Novena for a Special Favor, Litany,
30 Days' Prayer, Memorare, for Purity,
Conversion, a Happy Death, and many more.
Imprimatur.
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