Meditation on the Hidden Life of St. Joseph

Love of Saint Joseph for obscurity and the hidden life.

Your life is hidden with CHRIST in GOD. ¹

PREPARATORY PRAYER (page 28).

FIRST PRELUDE.

To represent to myself the workshop of Saint Joseph, and to behold this holy Patriarch occupying himself there in the simple labours of his calling beneath the eyes of JESUS and Mary.

SECOND PRELUDE.

Great Saint, who didst always withdraw thyself from the eyes of men, make me fear the poison of vain-glory, and flee from the praises of my fellow-beings.

FIRST POINT.

Love of Saint Joseph for obscurity and the hidden life.

Divine Providence had disposed all things so that JESUS should be born in poverty, and live unknown of men, until the moment came when He should manifest Himself to them through His preaching and His miracles; but it was not through necessity that Saint Joseph conformed himself to this conduct. It was that he loved to conceal from the gaze of men the gifts and graces he received from heaven; the humble, lowly occupation he had chosen was his delight; he desired to be unknown of the world, that he might live for GOD alone. Who can say of how many celestial favours this love of obscurity was for him the fertile source! His soul was like an enclosed garden, in which grew abundantly the flowers of all the virtues. His heart, which had no other ambition than to merit the tenderness of JESUS and Mary, was indifferent to the esteem of creatures, and no human motive could move it. How many faults should I avoid, how much merit should I accumulate, if faithful in following the steps of this admirable model, I sought in all that I did the countenance and the approbation of GOD alone.

SECOND POINT.

Means of acquiring the love of a hidden life.

Saint Joseph is the director, the friend, and the protector of souls tending to perfection. He wishes to initiate me into this hidden life, the source of so many graces and of so much merit. What shall I do to attain it? I must model myself as he did to the pattern of JESUS and Mary. Saint Joseph had continually before his eyes a GOD hidden under the feeble appearance of an infant, a Virgin Mother, who loved to be reckoned among ordinary women, hiding her privileges from the knowledge of men. Her heart grew more and more to love an humble life, which is distinguished in no way from those around it, showing nothing in itself that could fix the attention of creatures. Oh, how few can appreciate such an example! Worldlings wish to shine. Persons of piety desire that their virtues should be known of men, for notwithstanding that they are freed from many illusions, yet they often fall into this snare of self-love, which causes them to be discontented with common or ordinary ways, and to seek practices peculiar to themselves, and a perfection which shall lift them above others. Oh, perfect simplicity and humility, perfect purity of affections and motives, how far am I from possessing you fully! JESUS, Mary, Joseph, gain for me these precious virtues, of which you have given me such eloquent lessons and such touching examples.

Colloquy with Saint Joseph.

I beg of him to obtain for me, from the Sacred Hearts of JESUS and Mary, the love of a hidden life, and the desire to practise according to their example the interior virtues which are necessary for so holy an undertaking.

Resolution.

Determine to take GOD only as the witness of my good works.

OFFERING OF RESOLUTIONS (page 33).

Spiritual Bouquet.

Saint Joseph, whose life was hidden in GOD with CHRIST, pray for me. The more I am forgotten of men, the more the Heart of JESUS will be occupied with me.

PRAYER.

I conjure thee, etc. (page 33).

EXAMEN OF THE MEDITATION (page 34).

1. Col. iii. 3.