for Jesus, his God, his Saviour, and the Redeemer of the world. This supreme love began the very moment our great Saint learned, from divine revelation, and from Mary's own lips, the profound Mystery of the Incarnation, and increased at every moment for the long space of thirty years. The nearer we approach the fire, the greater the heat; the closer we move to the sun the more intense the rays. What thermometer could measure the degrees of the heat, the intensity of the rays of divine love that consumed the soul of St. Joseph, who so long lived in the very presence of the Eternal Sun of Charity?

"If," writes St. Francis of Sales, " by being exposed for a few days only to the heat of the material sun, the lily acquires its dazzling whiteness, who can conceive the extraordinary degree of charity to which St. Joseph was exalted, exposed as he was day and night for so many years to the rays of the Sun of Justice, and to that mystical Moon which derives her splendour from Him."

If the beloved Disciple became inflamed with the most ardent love for Jesus because for a few moments he was permitted to incline his head on the bosom of his Saviour what Angel's plummet could fathom the depths of the divine love of St. Joseph, who

so often looked into the countenance of Jesus and saw divine intelligence beaming in His sacred eyes, who so often pressed to his bosom the Infant Jesus, and felt the very pulsations of His Sacred Heart; who so often took into his arms the Infant Jesus and lulled Him to sleep on his bosom. Contemplate the Infant Jesus asleep, pillowed on the bosom of His holy Mother, and St. Joseph on his knees kissing and adoring His sacred feet. Every now and again the eyes of the sleeping Babe open and cast a look of love on our Saint. looks of love must have enraptured and inundated with celestial joys the heart and soul of St. Joseph. A celebrated writer says:"The light of the Divine Child's eyes, the sound of His voice, the play of His fingers, caused St. Joseph a constant ecstasy of joy."

PRACTICAL RESOLUTION.

These

Without grace we cannot approach Jesus, be faithful to Jesus, or love Jesus. Without grace we cannot see nor obey the secret inspirations of heaven to love Jesus. Without holy grace we cannot draw near, like St. Joseph, to the burning furnace of divine love, the throbbing and Sacred Heart of Jesus. The grace of God is obtained by prayer. I

resolve hence frequently on bended knees, to beg most humbly the grace to love Jesus, and for an increase and an intensity of the love of Jesus. Secondly, I resolve every day, and especially after Holy Communion, to offer to Jesus, and to beg of Jesus to accept it for me, the love of Mary and Joseph.

PRAYERS.

Thanksgiving to the most Adorable Trinity for the Privileges granted to St. Joseph.

"I adore Thee, I love Thee, and with all my heart I thank Thee, O Eternal Father, for having chosen St. Joseph to be the spouse of the most holy Mary. I adore Thee, I love Thee, and with all my heart I thank Thee, O Eternal Son, for having chosen St. Joseph to be Thy foster-father.

my

"I adore Thee, I love Thee, and with all heart I thank Thee, O Eternal Holy Spirit, for having chosen St. Joseph to be the guardian of Jesus and Mary."

O Jesus! grant me the grace to love Thee, to live for Thee, and to die for Thee. O Jesus! be ever the sole object of my love, and the sole subject of my thoughts. O Jesus! light up in my heart and soul the burning fire of Thy divine love. O Jesus!

take now and for ever my heart with its affections, my soul with its faculties, my body with its senses. O Jesus! I wish at every moment of my life to offer Thee the love of the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph.

A Prayer to St. Joseph to obtain love for Jesus.

St. Joseph! who first after Mary adored the Infant Jesus, obtain for me love for Jesus. St. Joseph! who protected the Divine Babe, beg of Jesus to grant me His love. St. Joseph! whose hands were privileged to supply the wants and comforts of Jesus, obtain for me the grace to work and to live only for the love of Jesus.

PRACTICE.

Have the habit of frequently offering to Jesus for yourself the love of Mary and Joseph.

ASPIRATION.

My Jesus, my God, my Saviour, and my all, I love Thee with my whole heart and above all things for Thy own sake.

MARCH 9TH.

NINTH MEDITATION.

St. Joseph the Chaste Spouse of the Blessed
Virgin.

Invocation of the Holy Ghost, as at page 278, "Come, O Holy Ghost," &c.

"And Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ . When as His Mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. . . . behold the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost" (Matt. i. 6-20.)

Reflect on the intimate union between husband and wife, and consider then the purity and sanctity of St. Joseph, who was chosen by God to be the spouse of Mary Immaculate. It is from Jesus and Mary we learn the glories of Joseph. According to the Old Testament the Blessed Virgin was "all fair," "without spot," "beautiful," "sweet and comely," "the Perfect One," "the only one." The Gospel styles her "full of grace,' " and proclaims that she had "found grace with God," that the "Lord is with her," and in