THE LIFE AND GLORIES OF ST. JOSEPH
celebrates his birth into this world the word nativity is expressly used, as in the case of the Blessed Virgin and of St. John the Baptist. Moreover, it is a question whether there be not a confusion, in respect to this custom of the Orientals, between our patriarch, who in the Gospel of St. Matthew is characterised as "just,"107 with another St. Joseph who had also the cognomen of Just and, along with St. Matthias, was proposed by the Apostles as successor to Judas the traitor, the lot falling on Matthias.108 Now, the martyrdom of this St. Joseph, or Barsabas, surnamed Justus, is in the Roman martyrology on the 20th of July with these words: "The natal day of St. Joseph, surnamed the Just". Hence it seems more probable, and more in conformity with the tradition of the Church, that it is St. Joseph's happy death and passage to glory which we commemorate on the 19th of March. But, as the Church celebrates another festival in his honour, that of his Patronage, on the third Sunday after Easter, we may well feel that in this feast a memorial of his nativity, which may have occurred about this season of the year, is included; for in the first vespers Holy Church commences her prayers and canticles with these words: "Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ,"109 and then proceeds to congratulate St. Joseph on being constituted as lord over His house and ruler over all His possessions; just as on the Nativity of Mary she says, "Today is born the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the race of David, through whom has appeared to believers the Salvation of the World".110 As to the day of the week on which Joseph was born, we have nothing to guide us but the piety of the faithful, by the common consent of whom, and with the Church's approval, all the Wednesdays of the year have been dedicated to St. Joseph; the Roman Pontiffs having, moreover, enriched with indulgences the devout practice of honouring him specially on that day. We may, therefore, piously believe that it was on Wednesday our great patron was either born or died. Four cities of Judea and of Galilee have disputed the honour of being this great saint's birthplace: Jerusalem, Capharnaum, Nazareth, and Bethlehem. It is urged in favour of the claims of Jerusalem, that his ancestors of the house of David dwelt on the hill of Sion, the city of the Great King, and, even in their depressed fortunes, continued to make it their place of refuge; so that it 107
St. Matthew i. 19.
108
Acts i. 23.
109
Antiph. in I. Vesp. Patron. S. Joseph.
110
Resp. pri. Noct, in Off. Natlv. B. Marae: Virginis. 57