stinct of Catholic faith; we have the Holy Family Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. God knows the wants of His Church; He knows "the times and the seasons;" in her days of trial and need He raises up in her defence new friends and new protectors; hence, special systematic devotion to St. Joseph, like that to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, has, under the inspiration of God, grown up, and borne abundant fruit, in the Church of the nineteenth century. To explain-especially to the poor and uneducated-in the most simple manner, the nature of this solid and holy devotion to St. Joseph, and by God's grace to make our great Saint better known, and hence better loved, for God's greater glory, in honour of His Incarnate Son, who deigned to be reputed the son of Joseph; and to obtain for ourselves the grace of a happy death, through the intercession of St. Joseph, who died in the arms of Jesus and Mary, and hence the patron of a happy death, will form the subject of the following pages. All the beauty of the most exquisite statue ever chiseled, all the perfections of the painting on the canvass, are reflected on the genius of the artist; so all the sanctity of the saints emanates from God alone, and proclaim His wisdom, power, and glory. "Wonderful is God in his saints" (Ps. Ixvii. 36). "Blessed be God in his angels and saints." PIOUS REFLECTION. My soul! how dear and sweet the holy names of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Jesus is thy God, thy Blessed Saviour and dear Redeemer. Jesus will be thy Judge, and hereafter may Jesus be thy reward in paradise. Mary is the Mother of God, the Mother of Jesus, and thy Mother and advocate. St. Joseph is the reputed father of Jesus, the chaste spouse of Mary, and the patron of a happy death. RESOLUTION. O Jesus! my God, my love, and my all. O Jesus! my Saviour, my Redeemer, my Judge. "Too late have I known Thee, too late have I loved Thee." O Mary! my mother, my advocate, my friend; and, after Jesus, the love of my heart. O St. Joseph! so near and dear to Jesus and Mary. When tempted to offend God in any respect, I resolve to cry for help; to invoke the Holy Family-Jesus, Mary, and Joseph; to say: "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, assist me." PRAYERS. Litany of the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary, and Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, graciously hear us. God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the World, Have mercy on us. God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, by the voice Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, image on earth of the august Trinity, Have pity on us. Have pity on us. Holy Family, tried by the greatest contradictions, Holy Family, afflicted in your journey to Bethlehem, Holy Family, rejected by all, and obliged Holy Family, saluted by the concerts of Holy Family, visited by the poor Shep- Holy Family, venerated by the Wise Men, Holy Family, hidden and unknown at Holy Family,model of Christian families, Holy Family, whose head is a model of paternal vigilance, Holy Family, whose spouse is a model of paternal care, Holy Family, whose Child is a model of obedience and filial piety, Holy Family, who led a poor, laborious and penitent life, Holy Family, poor in the goods of the world, but rich in the goods of heaven, Holy Family, despised by the world, but great before God, Holy Family, our hope in life, our support in death, Holy Family, patrons and protectors of our Confraternity, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Have pity on us. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. Let us pray. O God of goodness and merey, grant that we may always honour and imitate Jesus, Mary, and Joseph; so that pleasing them on earth, we may enjoy their presence in heaven. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. |