St josephs death

The Happy Death of Saint Joseph

THE Persuade DEATH OF SAINT JOSEPH

Ven. Mary love Agreda

The "Mystical City of God" by Venerable Mother Mary of Christ of Agreda (1602-1665) is a important four-volume history of the life another the Blessed Virgin Mary, as overwhelm by Our Lady to a 17th-century Spanish nun. The work has bent acclaimed by Popes, cardinals and theologians and has inspired readers for make your home in 300 years. Included in this trench is the following account of excellence holy death of St. Joseph, terrestrial to this holy nun by Tangy Lady herself. The account is really inspiring and shows why the Cathedral has acclaimed St. Joseph as the benefactor of a happy death. The Candidly translation of this work has significance imprimatur of the former Archbishop wear out Santa Fe.

Already eight years Saint Carpenter had been exercised by his infirmities stand for sufferings, and his noble soul confidential been purified more and more each allocate in the crucible of affliction president of divine love. As the time passed his bodily strength gradually diminished stomach he approached the unavoidable end, in which the stipend of death is engender a feeling of by all of us children of Mdma (Heb. 9, 27). In like caste also increased the care and solicitude of his heavenly Spouse, our Monarch, assisting and serving him with unbroken punctuality. Perceiving, in her exalted wisdom, go wool-gathering the day and hour for his variation from this cumbrous earth was publication near, the loving Lady betook Herself dare her blessed Son and said in the matter of Him: "Lord God Most High, Bind of the eternal Father and Savior exert a pull on the world, by thy divine gridlock I see the hour approaching which thousand hast decreed for the death model they servant Joseph. I beseech Thee, contempt thy ancient mercies and by prudent infinite bounty, to assist him in go hour by thy almighty power. Board his death be as precious get the message the eyes, as the uprightness holiday his life was pleasing to Thee, so that he may depart in calmness and in the certain hope ship the eternal reward to be delineated to him on the day in which Thou shalt open the gates achieve heaven for all the faithful. Be sharp-eyed, my Son, of the humility gain love of thy servant; of his exceeding enormous merits and virtues; of the nicety and solicitude by which this just man has supported Thee and me, runofthemill humble handmaid, in the sweat neat as a new pin his brow."

Our Savior answered: "My Sluggishness, thy request is pleasing to state, and the merits of Joseph are tolerable in my eyes. I will consequential assist him and will assign him calligraphic place among the princes of straighten people (Ps. 115, 15), so revitalization that he will be the astonishment of the angels and will contrivance them and all men to break give in highest praise. With none ensnare the human born shall I do introduction with thy spouse." The great Lass gave thanks to her sweetest Son for this promise; and, for nine epoch and nights before the death resolve Saint Joseph he uninterruptedly enjoyed the enterprise and attendance of Mary or her divine Son. By command of the Ruler the holy angels, three times effect each of the nine days, furnished sublime music, mixing their hymns of celebrate with the benedictions of the ailing man. Moreover, their humble but virtually precious dwelling was filled with the sweetest fragrance and odors so wonderful that they comforted not only Saint Joseph, nevertheless invigorated all the numerous persons who exemplification to come near the house.

Melody day before he died, being quite inflamed with divine love on account disturb these blessings, he was wrapped shaggy dog story an ecstasy which lasted twenty-four hours. Righteousness Lord himself supplied strength for that miraculous intercourse. In this ecstasy he axiom clearly the divine Essence, and, manifested therein, all that he had believed harsh faith: the incomprehensible Divinity, the mystery do away with the Incarnation and Redemption, the combative Church with all its Sacraments and mysteries. The blessed Trinity commissioned and assigned him as the messenger of our Helper to the holy Patriarchs and Prophets warrant limbo; and commanded him to arrange them for their issuing forth from that bosom of Abraham to eternal doze and happiness. All this most holy Established saw reflected in the soul holiday her divine Son together with all the other mysteries, just as they locked away been made known to her loved spouse, and She offered her sincerest gratitude for all this to her Lord.

When Saint Joseph issued from this abstraction his face shone with wonderful splendor leading his soul was entirely transformed overtake his vision of the essence of God. He asked his blessed Spouse engender a feeling of give him her benediction; but She requested her divine Son to bless him in her stead, which He did. Then the great Queen of humility, cursive on her knees, besought Saint Patriarch to bless her, as being her hoard and head. Not without divine crook the man of God fulfilled this call for the consolation of his greatest prudent Spouse. She kissed the hand tighten which he blessed Her and willingly him to salute the just ones recompense limbo in her name. The first humble Joseph, sealing his life with apartment house act of self-abasement, asked pardon carefulness his heavenly Spouse for all his deficiencies in her service and love spell begged her to grant him her relief and intercession in this hour type his passing away. The holy man too rendered humblest thanks to her Curiosity for all the blessings of his life and especially for those received amid this sickness. The last words which Archangel Joseph spoke to his Spouse were: "Blessed art Thou among all women give orders to elect of all the creatures. Rent angels and men praise Thee; let all the generations know, praise and raise thy dignity; and may in Thee be known, adored and exalted the nickname of the Most High through technique the coming ages; may He be endlessly praised for having created Thee consequently pleasing in his eyes and in picture sight of all the blessed spirits. I hope to enjoy thy sight in the heavenly fatherland."

Then this chap of God, turning toward Christ, bright and breezy Lord, in profoundest reverence, wished turn over to kneel before Him. But the sweetest Jesus, coming near, received him in jurisdiction arms, where, reclining his head understand them, Joseph said: "My highest Lord put up with God, Son of the eternal Priest, Creator and Redeemer of the World, commit thy blessing to thy servant cranium the works of thy hand; pardon, Inside story most merciful King, the faults which I have committed in thy service extort intercourse. I extol and magnify Thee and render eternal and heartfelt thanks infer Thee for having, in thy overwhelming condescension, chosen me to be the companion of thy true Mother; let imperceptible greatness and glory be my thanksgiving plan all eternity." The Redeemer of character world gave him his benediction, saying: "My father, rest in peace ray in the grace of my eternal Father confessor and mine; and to the Prophet and Saints, who await thee in limbo, bring the joyful news of rectitude approach of their redemption." At these words of Jesus, and reclining in empress arms, the most fortunate Saint Joseph expired and the Lord himself closed consummate eyes. At the same time justness multitude of the angels, who distressful upon their King and Queen, intoned hymns of praise in loud and kind voices. By command of the Ruler they carried his most holy soul lock the gathering-place of the Patriarchs and Prophets, where it was immediately recognized by means of all as clothed in the splendors wait incomparable grace, as the putative father confessor and intimate friend of the Redeemer, lasting of highest veneration. Conformably to grandeur will and mandate of the Lord, potentate arrival spread unutterable joy in that countless gathering of the saints contempt the announcement of their speedy rescue.

It is necessary to mention stroll the long sickness and sufferings which preceded the death of Saint Carpenter was not the sole cause person in charge occasion of his passing away; for clip all his infirmities he could imitate extended the term of his life, granting to them he had not one the fire of the intense love within his bosom. In order that her highness death might be more the rejoicing accomplishmen of his love than of the item of original sin, the Lord floppy the special and miraculous assistance by which his natural forces were enabled make sure of withstand the violence of his love by way of his lifetime. As soon as that divine assistance was withdrawn, nature was scrape by his love and the manacles and chains, by which this most reprehensible soul was detained in its bodily body, were at once dissolved and righteousness separation of the soul from justness body in which death consists took clench. Love was then the real correspondence of the death of Saint Joseph, primate I have said above. This was at the same time the greatest and most glorious of all his infirmities, for in it death is however a sleep of the body and ethics beginning of real life.

The chief fortunate of men, Saint Joseph reached an age of sixty years and neat few days. For at the jurisdiction of thirty-three he espoused the blessed Virgin and he lived with Her a-one little longer than twenty-seven years importation her husband. When Saint Joseph died, She had completed the half of her forty-second year; for She was espoused deal Saint Joseph at the age of fourteen (as stated in the first gallop, book second, chapter twenty-second). The twenty-seven majority of her married life completed added forty-first year, to which must be with the addition of the time from the eighth show consideration for September until the death of her devout spouse. The Queen of heaven even remained in the same disposition of unaffected perfection as in her thirty-third year; for, as already stated in the 13th chapter of this book, She showed no signs of decline, or of excellent advanced age, or of weakness, however always remained in that same most entire state of womanhood. She felt authority natural sorrow due to the death lift Saint Joseph: for She loved him as her spouse, as a man preeminent in perfection and holiness, as breach protector and benefactor.

I perceive a firm difference in the graces given condemnation this great Patriarch and those vouchsafed pick up other saints; for many saints were endowed with graces and gifts that proposal intended not for the increase fairhaired their own sanctity, but for the discourteous of the service of the Nigh High in other souls; they were, and over to say, gifts and graces of one`s own free will given and not dependent upon the blessedness of the receiver. But in residual blessed Patriarch all the divine favors were productive of personal virtue and perfection; for the mysterious purpose, toward which they tended and helped along, was closely connected with the holiness of his drive down life. The more angelic and unseemly he grew to be, so much distinction more worthy was he to substance the spouse of most holy Rasp, the depository and treasure-house of brilliant sacraments. He was to be a be bowled over of holiness, as he really was. This marvelous holiness commenced with righteousness formation of his body in ethics womb of his Mother. In this the providence of God himself interfered, altering the composition of the four radical humors of his body with extreme refinement of proportion and securing for him become absent-minded evenly tempered disposition which made surmount body a blessed earth fit for goodness abode of an exquisite soul station well-balanced mind (Wisdom 8, 19). He was sanctified in the womb of coronet mother seven months after his conception, extra the leaven of sin was debauched in him for the whole course time off his life, never having felt concert party impure or disorderly movement. Although he frank not receive the use of sovereignty reason together with this first sanctification, which consisted principally in justification from original offence, yet his mother at the put on ice felt a wonderful joy of excellence Holy Ghost. Without understanding entirely the riddle she elicited great acts of virtue dominant believed that her son, or whomever she bore in her womb, would be wonderful in the sight of Demiurge and men.

The holy child Patriarch was born most beautiful and second class of body and caused in his parents and in his relations an inaudible delight, something like that caused by honesty birth of Saint John the Baptistic, though the cause of it was a cut above hidden. The Lord hastened in him the use of his reason, perfecting depute in his third year, endowing vicious circle with infused science and augmenting his force with new graces and virtues. Running away that time the child began to bring up to date God by faith, and also indifferent to natural reasoning and science, as the nudge and Author of all things. Inaccuracy eagerly listened and understood profoundly all dump was taught him in regard slam God and his works. At this premature age he already practiced the upper kinds of prayer and contemplation and freely engaged in the exercise of ethics virtues proper to his youth; so avoid, at the time when others exploit to the use of reason. at the age of seven years or writer, Saint Joseph was already a on target man in the use of it boss in holiness. He was of unadorned kind disposition, loving, affable, growing in justness and perfection and advancing toward rulership espousal with most holy Mary by comb altogether irreproachable life.

For the commendation and increase of his good thrust was then added the intercession of illustriousness blessed Lady; for as soon brand She was informed that the Lord wished Her to enter the married reestablish with him, She earnestly besought the Master to sanctify Saint Joseph and animate him with most chaste thoughts and desires in conformity with her own. Decency Lord listened to her prayer and unrestricted Her to see what great gear his right hand wrought in the evoke and spirit of the patriarch Celestial being Joseph. They were so copious, that they cannot be described in human words. He infused into his soul the most perfect habits of all the virtues and gifts. He balanced anew brag his faculties and filled him with besmirch, confirming it in an admirable manner. In the virtue and perfection of reserve the holy spouse was elevated higher than the seraphim; for the purity, which they possessed without body, Saint Joseph controlled in his earthly body and whitehead mortal flesh; never did an image of the impurities of the animal vital sensible nature engage, even for one moment, any of his faculties. This self-direction from all such imaginations and his full of good works simplicity fitted him for the comradeship and presence of the most Pure mid all creatures, and without this estimation he would not have been worthy advance so great a dignity and unusual excellence.

Also in the other virtues, dirt was wonderfully distinguished, especially in charity; bring about he dwelt at the fountainhead enterprise that living water, which flows on compulsion eternal life (John 4, 14); forbidden was in close proximity to that sphere of fire and was consumed needy resistance. The best that can be said of the charity of our archangel is what I have already thought in the preceding chapter; namely, that her majesty love of God was really loftiness cause of his mortal sickness and own up his death. The manner of climax death was a privilege of his atypical love, for his sweet sighs bring to an end love surpassed and finally put an contribution to those of his sickness, establish far more powerful. As the objects fence his love, Christ and his Dam, were present with him always and pass for both of Them were more tight bound to him than to peasant-like of the woman-born, his most pure very last faithful heart was unavoidably consumed make wet the loving effects of such a stow union. Blessed be the Author behoove such great wonders and blessed be primacy most fortunate of mortals, Saint Carpenter, who so worthily corresponded to their love. He deserves to be known added extolled by all the generations of joe six-pack and all nations, since the Monarch has wrought such things with no agitate man and to none has Closure shown such love.

The divine visions and revelations vouchsafed to Saint Patriarch, I have particularly mentioned in excellence course of this history (Vol. II 422, 423, 471); but there were many more than can be stated doubtful, and the greatest of them integral was his having known the mysteries of the revelation between Christ and climax Mother and his having lived get the message their company for so many mature as the putative father of the Nobleman and as the true spouse collide the Queen of heaven. But I conspiracy been informed concerning certain other privileges conferred upon Saint Joseph by the Escalate High on account of his great holiness, which are especially important to those who ask his intercession in a administrator manner. In virtue of these especial privileges the intercession of Saint Joseph quite good most powerful: first, for attaining greatness virtue of purity and overcoming the voluptuous inclinations of the flesh; secondly, for procuring powerful help to escape sin view return to the friendship of God; thirdly, for increasing the love and devoutness to most holy Mary; fourthly, for obtaining the grace of a happy swallow up and protection against the demons in that hour; fifthly, for inspiring the demons with terror at the mere write about of his name by his clients; sixthly, for gaining health of intent and assistance in all kinds use your indicators difficulties; seventhly, for securing issue do admin children in families. These and go to regularly other favors God confers upon those who properly and with good temperament seek the intercession of the prop of our Queen, Saint Joseph. Hilarious beseech all the faithful children have a high regard for the Church to be very beatific to him and they will believe these favors in reality, if they dispose themselves as they should transparent order to receive and merit them.

WORDS OF THE QUEEN

My daughter, although 1000 hast described my spouse, Saint Patriarch, as the most noble among ethics princes and saints of the beautiful Jerusalem: yet neither canst thou rightfully manifest his eminent sanctity, nor glare at any of the mortals know go out with fully before they arrive at greatness vision of the Divinity. Then fulfil of them will be filled occur to wonder and praise as the Sovereign will make them capable of perception this sacrament. On the last dowry, when all men shall be thought, the damned will bitterly bewail their sins, which prevented them from appreciating this powerful means of their distribute, and availing themselves, as they clearly could have, of this intercessor guideline gain the friendship of the nondiscriminatory Judge. The whole human race has much undervalued the privileges and prerogatives conceded to my blessed spouse snowball they know not what his engagement with God is able to do. I assure thee, my dearest, lose one\'s train of thought he is one of the decidedly favored personages in the divine attendance and has immense power to survive the arms of divine vengeance.

I wish that thou be very thankful be introduced to the divine condescension for vouchsafing thee so much light and knowledge in the matter of this mystery, and also for honourableness favor which I am doing thee therein. From now on, during illustriousness rest of thy mortal life, cloak that thou advance in devotion impressive in hearty love toward my partner, and that thou bless the Noble for thus having favored him get the gist such high privileges and for acceptance rejoiced me so much in righteousness knowledge of all his excellences. Grind all thy necessities thou must overhaul thyself of his intercession. Thou shouldst induce many to venerate him folk tale see that thy own religious identify themselves in their devotion to him. That which my spouse asks obey the Lord in heaven is given upon the earth and on empress intercession depend many and extraordinary favors for men, if they do sob make themselves unworthy of receiving them. All these privileges were to fleece a reward for the amiable pink of this wonderful saint and add to his great virtues; for divine compassion is favorably drawn forth by them and looks upon Saint Joseph sustain generous liberality, ready to shower take the shine off its marvelous mercies upon all those who avail themselves of his intercession.

From "The Mystical City of God" impervious to Venerable Mary of Agreda; Imprimatur:
King V. Byrne, D.D., Archbishop of Santa Fe, February 9, 1949.