Meditation on St. Joseph's Confidence in Divine Providence

Saint Joseph's unshaken confidence in the Divine Goodness.

In Thee, O LORD, I have hoped; let me never be put to confusion. ¹

PREPARATORY PRAYER (page 28).

FIRST PRELUDE.

To represent to myself Saint Joseph flying with Jesus and Mary into Egypt.

SECOND PRELUDE.

Great Saint, who in the midst of the most painful trials didst constantly preserve a firm confidence in GOD, assist me to taste and understand these words. The LORD ruleth me, and I shall want nothing.

FIRST POINT.

Saint Joseph's confidence in Divine Providence.

The spirit of faith by which Saint Joseph was animated enabled him to see in GOD an attentive Father, who was always ready to grant him the help and the Graces of which he stood in need. The whole life of this holy Patriarch was but a perpetual exercise of the most loving confidence. This virtue shone most brightly when he was commanded to fly into Egypt to save JESUS from the fury of Herod. By how many human considerations, it seems, would his flight have been stopped, or at least retarded. He was obliged to quit his country to go to a distant and foreign land, whose inhabitants, language, and customs were entirely unknown to him. He must abandon all the means of subsistence that he had possessed until then, and expose JESUS and Mary to the fatigues of a long journey and to the rigours of the most extreme poverty; but it was impossible to shake his confidence. As soon as the will of Heaven was manifested to him, he set out on the way, without taking time to make any provision, or even waiting until daylight; and yet no trouble disturbed his soul, for he knew that the Providence of GOD would not fail those who trust in Him. What an example! How worthy it is of my admiration! but, above all, how much should it encourage me also to practise this child-like confidence in the best of fathers!

SECOND POINT.

I ought to imitate Saint Joseph's confidence in Divine Providence.

In placing before my eyes the example of Saint Joseph to-day, the LORD desires that I should become like him, and so acquire the spirit and practice of that confidence which honours GOD, and is always sure to obtain His Grace. He desires that I should be fully penetrated with the thought that it is He who directs and leads in all, and that nothing can happen without His command or His permission. Thus I should leave myself in His Hands, renouncing for ever all anxiety with regard to the future. How truly right it is, and how advantageous to me to throw myself blindly upon the care of Providence! My GOD is Wisdom, Goodness, and infinite Power. He knows what is best for me; He can and will procure it for me. I have only, then, to allow myself to be led, and my only anxiety should be, not to withdraw myself from His Fatherly Hand by caring too humanly for my own interests, and not to take any step in life without consulting Him. “Take no thought for the morrow,” said my adorable Master; “sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” For my sake He takes the name of Father, of Shepherd, and of Friend. How can I help putting my whole trust in Him?

Colloquy with Saint Joseph.

To rejoice with him in his confidence in GOD, and the abundant graces that it merited for him. To pray him to obtain for me from the Divine Heart of JESUS a confidence which shall endure amidst all trials, and which difficulties shall only strengthen more and more.

Resolutions.

To put aside every too anxious thought for the future, and to yield myself in peace to the guidance of the LORD.

OFFERING OF RESOLUTIONS (page 33).

Spiritual Bouquet.

The LORD ruleth me, and I shall want nothing.

PRAYER.

I conjure thee, etc. (page 33).

EXAMEN OF THE MEDITATION (page 34).

1. Ps. lxx. i.