her marriage, is to this day preserved and venerated in Perugia.

The following narrative of the espousals of the Blessed Virgin is translated from the learned and pious Suarez: "The priests held a consultation about the future state of the Blessed Virgin . . . . At last, by divine inspiration and instinct, they resolved to give her in marriage to some man worthy and proper to preserve her virginity; the choice fell upon Joseph of the same family and tribe. Thus write St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. John Damascenus, and other writers."*

The Blessed Virgin, long before her Espousals had made a vow of perpetual chastity, had consecrated to God the purity of her body and soul, and as she lived in the Temple it is most probable that the priests were aware of her vow, and hence by divine inspiration selected St. Joseph as the

"Sacerdotes vero inisse concilium quid de sacro illo corpore statuerent, quia nec decebat nec usitatum erat, ut mulier jam adulta in templo versaretur, aliunde timebant alicui viro jus et potestatem in corpus illud facere. Tandem vero divina inspiratione et instinctu decrevisse eam tradere nomine dispensationis cuidam viro ad custodiendam ejus Virginitatem idoneo qualis Joseph ex eadem familia et tribu inventus existimatus est. Ita Gregorius Nyssenus, Damascenus et alii auctores" (Suarez Tom. ii., Pt. iii., Disp. vii).

guardian and protector of the Virgin's purity. The Blessed Virgin, assured and enlightened by a clear revelation from the Almighty, that her vow of chastity would be respected, obeyed the counsels of the priests, and consented to the holy alliance with St. Joseph.

This holy alliance had been celebrated on the 8th day of September,* that is, over six months before the Incarnation of the Eternal Word; St. Joseph is said, like his holy spouse, to have made a vow of perpetual chastity at the age of twelve years. We may here draw attention to a point, which further on we shall discuss at considerable length. This time the whole Jewish nation were alive looking out for the coming Messias. The prophecies regarding the time of the Birth of the Redeemer were fulfilled. From the holy text it was

well known to the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, and to the priests, that the Saviour of the world was to be born of a virgin of the house and family of David. Taking the above into account, and considering the unique virtues of the Blessed Virgin, her perpetual vow of Chastity, her singular marriage with St.

*In the Roman Missal the Feast is celebrated on the 23rd of January.

Joseph of eminent sanctity, it appears not unreasonable to believe, that from "Divine Revelation," as Suarez says, that the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, and the priests had, if not a clear, at least, a hazy knowledge that Mary was the virgin chosen by God to be the future Mother of our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ.

A Servant of God writes thus on the Espousals of St. Joseph.

"Let us pause to express our joy on witnessing the fortunate destiny of the most happy of mortals-St. Joseph. Whence comes to thee, O man of God, so eminent a benediction, that among all the children of Adam, it can be said of thee alone that God has been so entirely thine, that He was taken for thy son? The eternal Father gives thee His daughter, the Son gives thee charge of His Mother, the Holy Ghost confides to thee His spouse, and places thee in His stead; and the Holy Trinity gives thee His elect, His only one, for thy lawful spouse.

Great

Saint, dost thou then comprehend all thy dignity? dost thou fathom all thy greatness? Dost thou know that she whom thou hast received as thy spouse is Queen and Mistress of heaven and earth. Behold, O man of God, the precious treasure thou hast,

and know that if thou dost not render the Angels and Seraphim envious, thy happiness, and the awful mystery of thy Espousals, excite their wondering admiration. For such joys and favours receive congratulations in the name of the whole human race. Be mindful of our poverty and wretchedness, and of me miserable worm of the earth, for I desire to be thy faithful servant, and to be enriched and favoured by thy powerful protection" (Venerable Mary of Jesus Agreda, Cité Mystique de Dieu).

SECTION IV.

The age of St. Joseph at his Espousals with the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The age of our holy Patriarch, at the time of his holy Espousal with Mary Immaculate, is disputed among the early Fathers, as well as among modern critics. St. Epiphanius, with many others of his time, hold that St. Joseph at the time of his marriage was an octogenarian. "A man of over eighty took the Virgin, selected by Divine Providence to guard her."

This opinion is generally rejected, and its origin is ascribed to apocryphal books, as

well as to the fancy of painters, who in ancient times, to gain more veneration for our Saints, depicted St. Joseph as a venerable old Patriarch, with a long white flowing beard. The celebrated Gerson writes: "St. Joseph is sometimes painted as an old man on account of his chastity of mind and body, as the wise man says, a spotless life is old age; or he was painted an old man in the origin of the Church, when Mary's perpetual virginity had not as now become deeply rooted in the hearts of the faithful." (Serm. de Nat. B.V.M.)

In the physical, as well as in the moral and supernatural order, the Infinite Wisdom of God suits the means to the end. The high and noble destiny of St. Joseph was to be the guardian of the Blessed Virgin; to be her help and companion in the long and fatiguing journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, before the Birth of our Blessed Saviour; to be the support of Mary and the Divine Infant in the flight into Egypt; and more still, for years in Egypt a strange land, without a friend, as well as at home in Nazareth, to maintain by the labour of his hands the Mother and the Child. Such being the heavenly appointed mission of St. Joseph, we may well conclude that his age and