Signs of the Times  

    "To get nations back on their feet, we must get down on our knees first."
                                                                                                  Anonymous

    "Prayer does not change God, but changes him who prays."
                                                                            Soren Kierkegaard

     "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go."
                                                                             Abraham Lincoln


     "We ought to act with God in the greatest simplicity, speaking to Him frankly and plainly, and imploring His assistance in our affairs, just as they happen."
                                                                           Brother Lawrence


    St. Patrick's Breastplate


   Christ be beside me,
   Christ be before me,
   Christ be behind me,
   King of my heart.
   Christ be within me,
   Christ be below me,
   Christ be above me,
   Never to part.

   Christ on my right hand,
   Christ on my left hand,
   Christ all around me,
   Shield in the strife.
   Christ in my sleeping,
   Christ in my sitting,
   Christ in my rising,
   Light of my life.


     March 19--ST. JOSEPH, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin and Patron of the Universal Church.

       St. Joseph was by birth of the royal family of David, but was living in humble obscurity as a carpenter when God raised him to the highest sanctit an fitted him to be the spouse of His Virgin Mother, and foster-father and guardian of the Incarnate Word.  Joseph, says Holy Scripture, was a just man; he was innocent and pure and became the husband of Mary; he was gentle and tender, as one worthy to be named the father of Jesus; he was prudent and a lover of silence, as became the master of the holy house; above all, he was faithful and obedient to divine calls.  His conversation was with angels rathern than with men.  When he learned that Mary bore within her womb the Lord of heaven, he feared to take her as his wife; but an angel bade him fear not, and all doubts vanished.
       When Herod sought the life of the divine Infant, an angel told Joseph in a dream to fly with the Child and His Mother into egypt.  Joseph at once arose and obeyed.  This sudden and unexpected flight must have exposed Joseph to many inconveniences and sufferings in so long a journey with a little babe and a tender virgin, the greater part of the way being through deserts and among strangers; yet he alleges no excuses, no inquiries as to when they would return.  St. Chrysostom observed that God treats thus all His servants, sending them frequent trials to clear their hearts from the rust of self-love, but intermixing seasons of consolation.
       "Joseph," says he, "is anxious on seeing the Virgin with child; an angel removes that fear.  He rejoices at the Child's birth, but a great fear succeeds; the furious king seeks to destroy the child and the whole city is in an uproar to take away his life.  This is followed by another joy, the adoration of the Magi.  A new sorrow then arises; he is ordered to fly into a foreign unknown coutnry, without help or acquaintance."  It is the opinion of the Fathers of the Church that upon their entering Egypt, at the presence of the child Jesus, all the oracles of that superstitious country were struck dumb, and the statues of the gods trembled an in many places fell to the ground.  The Fathers also attribute to this holy visit the spiritual benediction poured on that country, which made it for many ages most fruitful in Saints.  After the death of King Herod, of which St. Joseph was informed in another vision, God ordered him to return with the Child and His Mother into the land of Israel which the Saint readily obeyed.  But when he arrived in Judea, hearing that Archelaus had succeeded Herod in that part of the country, and apprehensive that he might be infected with his father's vices, he feared on that account to settle there, as he would otherwise probably have done for the education of the Child.  Therefore, being directed by God in another vision, he retired in to the dominions of Herod Antipas, in Galilee, to his former habitation in Nazareth.
       St. Joseph, being a strict observer of the Mosaic Law, in conformity to its direction annually repaired to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.  Our Savious, now in the 12th year of age, accompanied his parents there.  Having performed the usualy ceremonies of the feat, they were returning with many of their neighbors and acquaintances towards Galilee; and never doubting that Jesus was with some of the company, they traveled on for a whole day's journey before they discovered that He was not with them.  But when night came on and they could hear no tidings of Him among their kindred and acquaintance, they, in the deepest affliction, returned with the utmost speed to Jerusalem.  After an anxious search of three days, they found Him in the Temple, discoursing with the learned doctors of the Law, and asking them such questions as raised the admiration of all that heard Him, and made them astonished at the ripeness of His understanding; nor were His parents less surprised on this occasion.
         As no further mention is made of St. Joseph, he must have died before the marraige at Cana and the beginning of Our Saviour's ministry.  We cannot doubt that he had the happiness of Jesus and Mary attending at his death, praying by him, assisting and comforting him in his last moments; where he is particularly invoked for the great grace of a happy death and the spiritual presence of Jesus in that hour.

    REFLECTION:   St. Joseph, the shadow of the Eternal Father upon earth, the protector of Jesus in His home at Nazareth, and a lover of all children for the sake of the Holy Child, should be the chosen guardian and pattern of every true Christian family.

                                                                                  --from "Butler's Lives of the Saints"