The glorious functions wherewith God honoured Saint Joseph in this world, and the rare examples of humility, wisdom, patience, fidelity, obedience, and submission, which he hath given us, should inspire us with the highest idea of his sanctity, and the greatest devotion towards him. Honour him, therefore, but more especially by a faithful imitation of his virtues. Have recourse to him with confidence, and inspire this confidence into others. St. Teresa assures us, that she never asked any favour of God in his name but what she obtained.
Illustrious Saint! who art that good and faithful servant, to whom God committed the care of his family; whom he appointed guardian and protector of the life of Jesus Christ, the comfort and support of his holy Mother, and co-partner in his great design of the redemption of mankind; thou who hadst the happiness of living with Jesus and Mary, and of dying in their arms; chaste spouse of the Mother of God; model and patron of pure souls; humble, patient, and reserved; be moved with the confidence we place in thy intercession, and accept with kindness this testimony of our devotion.
We give thanks to God for the signal favours he hath been pleased to confer on thee, and we conjure him by thy intercession, to make us imitate thy virtues. Pray for us, then, O great saint; and by that love which thou hadst for Jesus and Mary, and by the love which Jesus and Mary had for thee, obtain for us the incomparable happiness of living and dying in the love of Jesus and Mary. Amen.
In order to make some return to that boundless love, of which Jesus Christ has given us a testimony in the institution of the blessed Sacrament of the altar, let us unite ourselves to him by holy and frequent communion. Let us often pay him our homage under the sacramental veils. Let us, at least, never omit a Thursday without acquitting ourselves of this consoling duty. { 166} Let us sometimes present ourselves in the most profound sentiments of adoration, before him, as did the Shepherds and the Eastern Kings or Magi. Let us, at other times, go to hear and receive his instructions, in imitation of his apostles and disciples. Let us approach him, like Magdalen, to contemplate his admirable perfections, and weep bitterly over our sins. Let us again present ourselves before him, after the example of the sick man in the gospel, to be healed from our spiritual infirmities; or, like the poor, to disclose to him our wants, and demand those comforts and graces which our doubts, or the tribulations and crosses incidental to human life, may require. But on all or every one of these occasions, be careful to present thyself before him with that profound degree of modesty, recollection, respect, fear, love, gratitude and confidence, which a lively faith of his real presence in this most blessed sacrament seldom fails to produce.