Since Thou the name of father hast bestowed
On me, my Jesus, let me call Thee Son.
My Son! I love - I love Thee; yes, my God!
Forever will I love Thee, dearest One!
Thou art my God! I humbly Thee adore;
But, as my Son, ah! bid me kiss Thy face,
And make my heart remain for evermore
Close bound with sweetest chains in Thy embrace!
Since Thou hast deigned to choose me here below
The nurse and guardian of Thy life to be,
My sweetest Love! my Good! ah! let me know
What willest Thou? - what does Thou ask of me?
All, all I am, to Thee I now resign;
My love I consecrate to Thee alone;
And know, my heart is mine no more - 'Tis Thine;
My very life I do not call my own.
Since Thou art pleased to share my humble home,
And be on earth companion of my love,
Well may I hope, dear Jesus, to become
Thy loved companion in Thy home above.
Joseph not only had the name of father of Jesus, but he also had the reality of it, as much as any man could." - St. John Damascene
"Who hath given me the Son of the Most High to be a Son to me? I was jealous of Thy Mother, and I thought to put her away, and I knew not that in her womb was hidden a mighty treasure, that should suddenly enrich my poor estate. David the king sprang from my race, and wore the crown; and I have come to a very low estate, who instead of a king am a carpenter. Yet a crown hath come to me, for in my bosom is the Lord of crowns!"
St. Ephraim, Hymns on the Nativity, Hymn IV.
And St. Romanos the Melodist puts these words in the mouth of the Most Holy Theotokos when the Magi arrived:
"I shall remind you, O magi, for what reason I have Joseph in my dwelling. It is for the refutation of all who doubt. He himself will tell what he heard about my child. For in his sleep he saw a holy angel who told him whence I conceived (Mt. 1:20). A divine being, shining like fire, reassured him in the night and settled his thorny doubts. Therefore Joseph is with me to reveal that here is a young child, the pre-eternal God. Clearly he will report the things that he himself saw among the heavenly beings and mortals on earth--how the shepherds sang songs, and the shining ones sang with men of clay; how the star ran ahead of you to light your way and guide you." (On the Nativity (Mary and the Magi), strophes 11-12
When Joseph was an old man,
An old man was he,
He courted Virgin Mary
The Queen of Galilee,
He courted Virgin Mary
The Queen of Galilee.
Now Joseph and Mary
Were walking one day.
In a garden of cherries
They happened to stray.
Then up spake Virgin Mary
So meek and so mild,
"Joseph, gather me some cherries,
For I am with child."
Then Joseph flew in anger,
In anger cried he,
"Let the father of the baby
Gather cherries for thee!"
Then Jesus spoke a few words
From within his mother's womb,
"Let my mother gather cherries,
Oh, cherry tree, bow down."
The cherry tree bowed low down
Bowed low down to the ground,
And Mary gathered cherries
While Joseph stood around.
Then Joseph took Mary
All on his right knee.
"Lord, what have I done?
Have mercy on me!"
Then Joseph took Mary
All on his left knee.
"Come and tell me, little baby
When thy birthday shall be."
"On the Sixth Day of January
My birthday shall be,
When the stars and the elements
Shall tremble with glee."
Pray for TERRI!
St. Therese the Little Flower, pray for us.