down the staircase or corridor, as to make her meditation or say her beads. By the supernatural motive of doing everything to please God alone, each act becomes a most holy prayer, merits grace here, and an eternal weight of glory hereafter.

One point more: St. Joseph lived in the perpetual presence of Jesus Christ, and in Jesus he found his sanctity and supreme happiness in this vale of tears. In like manner, the holy nun has under her roof, and can adore in the Tabernacle, the very same Jesus, the light of whose Divine countenance perpetually beamed upon the soul of St. Joseph at the "Holy House" of Nazareth, and at every moment of the day and night she can turn to the altar, and with the eyes of faith, gaze in wondrous reverential love, praise, peace, and joy on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, shedding upon her soul, from the tabernacle, light and grace. Like St. Joseph, the holy nun places her joy and peace in Jesus, in his Sacred Heart, in the Tabernacle, joy and peace which no human hand can touch, nor the whole world disturb.

Here a wide field for pious meditation expands before the mind of the fervent religious. Truly is St. Joseph the perfect model of the holy nun.

PRACTICAL RESOLUTION.

The presence of Jesus sanctified St. Joseph; I, too, live in the perpetual presence! of Jesus; and yet I am so sinful and imperfect. Jesus is under the same roof with me, and yet I forget Him. My loving Jesus! I fear the abuse of grace even more than my sins. The abuse of grace at holy Mass, holy Communion, prayer, meditation, retreats, and the good example of others frighten me In imitation of St. Joseph, I resolve, by the grace of God, to be exact in the observance of all my rules, and to perform all my obediences and all my charges to please God alone. Secondly, I resolve continually to pray for fervent, tender, and holy love for Jesus in the Tabernacle.

PRAYER,

O my God! my rules, approved of by the Pope, thy Vicar on earth, are to me the manifestation of thy Divine will. O God, may I keep them in that spirit! May I observe my rules purely to please Thee alone, O my God! O God! grant me the grace to perform all my duties and charges to please Thee alone. O my Blessed Saviour! grant me the greatest love for holy Mass, for holy Communion, and for Jesus in the Tabernacle.

May I find my delights before Jesus on the altar. Wherever I am during the day and night, may I love to turn to the tabernacle, invite Jesus into my heart by spiritual communion, and there entertain my Saviour by holy affections.

A PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH TO OBTAIN PURITY OF INTENTION.

"O Blessed St. Joseph! I consecrate myself to thy honour, and I give myself to thee that thou mayest always be my father, my protector, and my guide in the way of salvation. Obtain for me great purity of heart, and a fervent love of the interior life. After thy example may I perform all my actions to do the will of God, and to please God alone."

PRACTICE.

Constantly purify your intentions. Be exact in the observance of your rules, and perform all your duties and charges to do the holy will of God, and to please God alone.

ASPIRATION.

My good God! I offer to Thy greater glory each and every act of the day, and of my whole life, in union with the life and death of Jesus.

MARCH 29TH.

TWENTY-NINTH MEDITATION.

St. Joseph the perfect Model of the Holy Priest. Invocation of the Holy Ghost, as at page 278, Come, O Holy Ghost," &c.

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"An angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise and take the child and his mother and fly into Egypt, and be there until I tell thee. Who arose and

...

took the child and his mother by night and retired into Egypt .... But when Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt, saying: Arise and take the child and his mother and go into the land of Israel. ...

Who

arose, took the child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel" (Matt. ii. 13-21). "And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth; and was subject to them" (Luke, ii. 50). "Be you, therefore, perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect (Matt. v. 48). "He who causeth a sinner to be converted from the error of his ways shall save his soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins" (James, v. 20).

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They that instruct many to justice shall shine as stars for all eternity" (Dan. xii. 3).

Consider how the life of St. Joseph is a model of perfect sanctity to the holy priest. St. Joseph lived in the perpetual presence of Jesus; his whole work, care, and anxiety was the person of Jesus, or the interests of Jesus. Before the Nativity, St. Joseph watched over the Mother and the unborn Babe. St. Joseph adored the Divine Infant at Bethlehem. Our Saint saved the life of Jesus from the cruelty of Herod; and in his arms carried the Saviour through the sands and deserts of Egypt. By the labour of his hands St. Joseph maintained the holy exiles in Egypt. At the bidding of an Angel, St. Joseph brought back Jesus and Mary to "the land of Israel," and at Nazareth Jesus "was subject" to St. Joseph.

Jesus was subject to St. Joseph; but unspeakably more is Jesus subject to the priest. At the holy Mass Jesus comes down from heaven into his hands; and in the Blessed Sacrament Jesus, without apparent divinity, humanity, life, or power, leaves Himself to the mercy, charity, and care of the priest.

St. Joseph carried Jesus in his arms through the deserts of Egypt; the priest, over his bosom, over the throbbing of his