Chapter III: Part 3

What a beautiful sight is the Holy Family dwelling on earth! God could not create anything more beautiful than this Holy Family; He reached the limit of possibilities in creation when He had accomplished this. It is indeed a great example to us, and a model which we ought to hold before our eyes during this month, in order that we may study the foundations of what a holy family ought to be; what a life that should be, where the holiest are bound together in ties of most affectionate friendship and relationship.

Our Holy Father Leo XIII. has seen the great importance of the Christian family: the family established by the laws of the Church and the country, where marriages are legalized and solemnized; where continence and modesty reign; where children, under kind and parental subjection, are brought up to be good men and women, good for religion and for society. When poverty strikes such a family there is patience and forbearance shown; when sickness and death come, there is resignation to the will of God. In the Christian home there is surpassing peace, and not that crazy restlessness that looks for satisfaction in grasping at possessions, never satisfied day nor night.

I do not think that this devotion has been appointed for this month by any authority, except the idea that after having adored the divine infancy during the month of January, the devotion to the Holy Family may follow as a natural sequence. Should any one desire to make this devotion during another month, it would certainly not be out of the way, for save only in a few cases has a certain devotion been assigned to a particular time. The devotion to the Holy Family is a beautiful and instructive one; the Christian family should be built on this great model. The Holy Family consisted of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph; the father, Mother, and Child. All other families are made up of the same constituents.

Those who are actually in a family, or who intend to choose that mode of life by which they may get to heaven, will love this devotion and find instruction and consolation in it.

One of the greatest works of God in this world is the Holy Family at Bethlehem and Nazareth. He sent down upon the earth His only Son, Jesus Christ; prepared a most holy Mother for Him, Mary immaculate, and selected for Him a foster‐father and a protector. He held them together in the most tender family ties of father, Mother, and Child. He kept them in that relation until St. Joseph died a blessed death, and the Lord Jesus went forth on His sacred mission of teaching and redeeming mankind.

What a beautiful sight to us poor human beings! what a glory to God was that Holy Family, dwelling in the humble abode of Nazareth! We find here the model on which we shall reflect for this month of February. We will consecrate this month to praising God with the members of the Holy Family; we will study the ways by which they were so pleasing to God, and we will draw from these considerations many valuable lessons for our own conduct.

Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIII., with an ever‐watchful eye to the necessities of our time, has seen the importance of a devotion to the Holy Family, and has recommended it to the faithful, and with his own authority established a sodality of the Holy Family; he has invested it with many indulgences in order to encourage the faithful in taking the Holy Family as their model. Here is, then, a practical way to teach ourselves the way of salvation by the example of others.

It is therefore a most useful practice of piety to become members of the sodality of the Holy Family; you will then place yourselves under its special protection, and choose Jesus, Mary, and Joseph for your particular advocates before God. Look upon the members of the Holy Family as the most perfect models for imitation, whose examples will teach you what to correct and what to avoid, what to do for your temporal and eternal welfare, and that of your families.

Considerations and Prayers for Every Day.

First Day.

In an apostolic brief of June 14, 1892, the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIII., demonstrates how the welfare of the family and of the State depends chiefly on education, and that it is of the utmost importance that a religious spirit be fostered in the Christian family. From the first family, God so arranged the method and order of such a life as to exhibit to the world a form of a divinely ordered association, in which all human beings might behold a most complete model of family life, and of all virtue and holiness. The devotion to the Holy Family, a holy and a powerful institution before God and man, has increased very much within a few years, and it is worth our while to think of this on the first day of our monthly devotion, and appreciate it as we ought.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, Who didst hallow by Thy surpassing virtues, and the example of Thy home life, the household Thou didst choose to live in whilst on earth, mercifully look down upon this family, whose members, humbly prostrate before Thee, implore Thy protection. Remember that we are Thine, bound and consecrated to Thee by a special devotion. Protect us in Thy mercy, deliver us from danger, help us in our necessities, and impart to us strength to persevere always in the imitation of Thy Holy Family, so that, by serving Thee and loving Thee faithfully during this mortal life, we may at length give Thee eternal praise in heaven. O Mary, dearest Mother, we implore thy assistance, knowing that thy divine Son will hearken to thy petitions; and do thou, most glorious patriarch St. Joseph, help us with thy powerful patronage, and place our petitions in Mary’s hands that she may offer them to Jesus Christ. Amen.

Second Day.

Within our own time the devotion to the Holy Family has grown under the fostering care of the Supreme Pontiff, who has authorized the establishment of associations throughout the world, by which men and women, married and unmarried, are gathered into one fold from the standpoint of the family. The Holy Father desires that all the faithful of the Catholic Church should consider this association as a consecration to the Christian life, and that they will feel that they are bound to lead a holy life because their association is established and legalized by God. For what is the Sacrament of Matrimony but the legalizing of the family before God and man? Let us consider the family as a special institution of God’s providence for the preservation of the world, and the propagating in it of sound principles of learning and religion.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Third Day.

We are to consecrate ourselves to God under the union of a family. That is the pretence with which we come before God, to claim His kindness and mercy because we belong to a family. We are not isolated creatures, looking for our selfish ends, but we are a union of individuals constituted under a certain authority, which gives us a claim to the respect of God and man; for God has said, “Where there are two or three gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.”—Matt. xviii. 20. The formula of consecration of a Christian family has been given us by the Sovereign Pontiff himself; rules, regulations, and by‐laws have been given to this society under the same authority of the Holy Father. The whole Christian family should be so united among themselves, that there be but one family under one head, set over all to rule them by its supreme power. We belong to this Christian family of the Church; let us then unite for the common good of all.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Fourth Day.

The scope of the pious association of the Holy Family is that all Christian families be consecrated to the Holy Family of Nazareth, placing it before themselves for veneration and imitation; offering up every day before its image prayers in its honor, and practising in their lives the sublime virtues which the Holy Family offered for imitation to every grade of society. The rich will find a model before them, the learned and highly educated will know exactly what to do according to the dignity of their position, the working class, especially, will find here the guidance and friendship needed in their temptations and troubles. The Holy Family is a poor, working, humble family, as poor as the poorest, as laborious as the most hard‐working, as humble as the most lowly.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Fifth Day.

The picture of the Holy Family should be in every household; it is a perpetual reminder, placed in tangible form, of our dear Lord, our blessed Lady, and our friend, St. Joseph, who were the members of the Holy Family. We often are interested in the pictures of great persons, and take delight in representations of angels and holy people. What is the secret of this inclination? Why, we can see those whom we wish to imitate, and grow to know their good and holy lives through their pictures. The Holy Father has approved one special picture which is to be the emblem of this association: Mary and Joseph, holding the youth Jesus between them by the hand. Jesus is not an infant, for this picture is to bring to mind the fact that His parents had to suffer care and anxiety in order to bring Him to this stage of boyhood, for which noble duty they were fitted by special providence and by special faithfulness.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Sixth Day.

“We have good hopes,” says the Holy Father, concluding his encyclical letter, “that all to whom the salvation of souls is committed, especially the bishops, will make themselves partners and sharers of our zeal in promoting this pious association. For those who recognize and deplore with us the change and corruption of Christian morals, the extinction of the love of religion and piety in families, and the passion for earthly goods, enkindled beyond measure, will desire exceedingly to apply suitable remedies for so many grievous evils. Since nothing can be more salutary and efficacious for Christian families than the example of the Holy Family, let care be taken that as many families as possible, especially those of the working classes, against which insidious forces are more strongly exercised, enroll themselves in this association. Let the association be on its guard, lest it swerve from its purpose, or change its spirit—rather let the practices of piety and the prayers which have been determined on to be preserved intact. May Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, thus besought within the family circle, be graciously present! May they foster charity, regulate morals, incite all that imitate them to virtue, and alleviate and render more bearable the hardships which oppress mankind!”

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Seventh Day.

A plenary indulgence after a sincere confession and a worthy communion, and praying for the intentions of His Holiness, may be gained by the members of the association on the following days: First, on the day of their entrance into the association, after they have recited the act of consecration. Second, on the day of a general meeting, when all go to communion in a body, and renew their promises. Third, on the feasts of the Nativity (Christmas), the Circumcision, Epiphany, Easter and Ascension. Fourth, on the feasts of the Blessed Virgin: Immaculate Conception, Nativity, Annunciation, Purification, Assumption. Fifth, also on the following days: feast of St. Joseph in March, Patronage of St. Joseph, Third Sunday after Easter, Espousal of the Blessed Virgin on the twenty‐ third of January. Sixth, on the feast of the Holy Family, and Seventh, at the hour of death.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Eighth Day.

Partial indulgences may be gained when visiting a church where the association is established, provided the members pray for the prosperity of Christendom, and for the intention of the Holy Father. Seven years and seven quarantines may be gained on the feasts of the Visitation, Presentation, and the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin. The same indulgences may be gained by the family in the reunion in prayer among themselves, if they pray before a picture of the Holy Family. The same also, whenever the members attend a public meeting of the association. Three hundred days’ indulgence is granted as often as a member of the association recites, before a picture of the Holy Family, the prayer “O most loving Jesus,” etc., etc. The members may gain an indulgence of two hundred days when they make the salutation: “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, enlighten us, aid us, save us. Amen.” One hundred days for every new member that is brought to the association, and sixty days for every good work done in honor of the Holy Family. All these indulgences are applicable to the souls in purgatory.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Ninth Day.

The Catholic Christian has the true faith which comes to him from Jesus Christ, the Founder of the true Church. He ought, then, to show by his conduct that his faith has made him better than so many others, who have not had the graces and advantages which came to him. In other words, it is not enough to believe the truths that God has revealed; it is not enough to belong to the true Church by the internal adhesion of the mind; it is indispensably necessary to manifest our faith in exterior works. Our faith should so have penetrated our whole being, that the profession of religion should show itself in all our actions. Faith without works is dead, and at the Last Judgment the almighty Judge will demand of us an account of all our actions, and then will He render to every one the merited reward or punishment. Let it be our aim in life to fill the days of our stay on earth with many good actions, the outcome of our faith, so that when we stand before the throne of God, we may have many glorious deeds to our credit.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Tenth Day.

A Christian considers his faith as a gift of heaven, a priceless treasure far surpassing any earthly wealth, because it raises man to a true knowledge of God and secures for him his eternal salvation. He rejects with horror the maxims of our modern infidels, who say, “One religion is as good as another”; “Hell is only a bugbear”; “The faith of the heart is enough for salvation,” and many others of the same nature. He rejects them because he knows that God is one, that the truth that comes from God is one, and that therefore faith must be one, and religion one. He knows that religion cannot be framed according to the whims of man, but only can come from the authority of God in His holy revelation. He will not associate with those who hold the above false doctrines; he will be an enemy of bad books, which teach errors of faith and which drag those who read them into the mire of immorality, and he will caution his friends against them.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Eleventh Day.

The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ as a perfect society, with authority to make laws, with power to punish the guilty, and to expel rebellious subjects from her midst. This power was given to the Church by Christ when He said, “And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven.” It is clear that Christ intended His Church to be our guide in all our actions, as an authority to teach us what the revelation is concerning our future state. We should, therefore, be obedient and faithful children of the Church. We should be grateful to God, Who in His mercy has established certain fountains of grace, which are found in the Church, and are guarded by her. These fountains of grace are the sacraments, which point out the holy states of life, and the true manner of pleasing God. We should use the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist for the remedy of our faults, and the strength of our weakness.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Twelfth Day.

Confession is the correction of our faults, and if we have sinned let us remember we have an advocate in heaven, to Whom we wish to return in the sincerity of our hearts. The Holy Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ and communion the partaking of it.

We should not, therefore, be deterred from frequenting these sacraments by human considerations, or by the mockery of the people of this world. We should have these words of Christ deeply engraven in our hearts: “Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you.”—John vi. 54. A devout Catholic is easily distinguished from the crowd of careless ones, when we see him humbly and frequently going to confession and to holy communion.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Thirteenth Day.

Be also reverent and devout in the house of God; not brought there by vain curiosity, or by fashion, but by unfeigned piety, rendering to God an external tribute of dependence and adoration. Look upon priests as the ambassadors of God, treat them with respect, listen to their teaching, and put it into practice. Reverence the bishops as divinely constituted guardians and teachers in the Church: especially the see of St. Peter, the Vicar of Christ, the Roman Pontiff, the Father and teacher, in whom is intrusted the plentitude of power to rule the whole Catholic family. Reverence the infallible authority of the Pope, which guides you in matters of faith, in form of worship, and morality.

Accept with docility and obedience the decisions of the Holy See, and conform to them your opinions and thoughts. Do not follow the changeable and novel opinions of our infidel age.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Fourteenth Day.

The true Christian must not only profess the faith, but also the laws of Christ. He is anxious to observe them exactly and to observe them all, knowing that he is guilty of damnation who violates the law in one important point. This law bids us to love all men as fellow creatures, to love our relatives, our country, but above all, and before all, we must love God, the Author of our being, the great loving Father of heaven. The honor of God is the very first duty of man, who as a rational being knows God and His infinite goodness; we wish to serve Him as His subjects, render Him the homage due to His immensity, a worship which our infinite littleness renders to God. Never profane the word of God yourself, and prevent curses and oaths in others as far as possible. By acts of praise and benediction let us repair the offences against God when we cannot prevent them. At least pray for those who use the name of God in vain, and thus endeavor to ward off from them the eternal punishment due to that wicked practice.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Fifteenth Day.

Contribute your share towards the glorification of the name of God, by observing the Sundays and festivals of the Church. God has expressly reserved these days to Himself, and has pointed them out by the authority of the Church. In the Old and in the New Law, God has had days of rest and of religious practices; and for the observances of these He has promised publicly that there should be many rewards. Every good, God‐fearing man will give a just tribute of respect to God, because God wills it, and because he is looking for some benefit from God. Abstain then from servile works on those days, no matter what temporal gains may be expected, and be careful that others, too, keep holy the Sabbath of the Lord, particularly those who are intrusted to your care and command. Do not have work done on Sunday, and allow none to be done about your premises.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Sixteenth Day.

Respect your parents, superiors, and masters, and all those who hold positions of trust towards you. They hold the authority of God, and he who despises them despises God Himself. Honor and respect those superiors as representatives of God, and obey them in all things that are not against His law; and so we come to that great second commandment, which is like unto the first: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” We should do unto others as we would wish that others should do unto us; that is, we should look upon one another as children of one great family, of which God is the heavenly Father. “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another,” not showing this love through politeness only, but through a real, downright feeling of interest in others, and without a selfish regard of our own interests. Try to perform spiritual and corporal works of mercy for your neighbor.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Seventeenth Day.

In all your intercourse with others respect their persons and property; do not look for unjust gains; be faithful to your bargains and contracts; never look to your own selfish interests solely. Never speak ill of anybody, nor circulate detractions, nor reveal secrets and defects that might lessen the esteem in which any one is held; excuse the faults of others, and find some excuse for the intention with which even an evil action is committed. We are all temples of the Holy Ghost, sanctified and ennobled by the blood of Christ. We are the dwellings of the Holy Trinity, called to a heavenly inheritance. Do not desecrate this sacred temple by impurity; guard against impure thoughts and immodest desires, flee from dangerous occasions. Avoid foolishly pursuing the luxuries and vanities of the world, improper company, and bad conversation. Do not enter theatres or places of amusement where your morals are endangered, and from which you carry nothing but pictures of immoral objects. Arm yourself most effectually against the approach of evil by the powerful shield of prayer, and walk in the presence of God.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Eighteenth Day.

So far we have considered the law of God practically interpreted in our every‐day life; let us go still further and endeavor to learn the laws of the Church, for the Lord has said: “He that heareth you, heareth Me; and he that despiseth you despiseth Me,” and “If he will not hear the Church let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.” On Sundays and holydays of obligation, we ought to hear Mass. We should observe the feasts of the Church and the restriction from flesh meat on Fridays and other days of abstinence. Remember that these little acts of mortification are a great benefit to us, since the Lord has commanded, “That we should bring forth fruits worthy of penance.” Make your Easter duty, for the Church has laid down the law that you should fulfil those duties, not from routine or human respect, but with the knowledge of the needs of your soul.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Nineteenth Day.

What an exalted opinion we should have of Christian piety! It inspires the Christian man and woman with lofty ideas, and prepares them for noble undertakings. These lessons of piety should be planted early in the hearts of the young, that they may take root and grow up to a magnificent fruit of mature virtue. Serve God as a loving and dutiful child, cherish a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and have recourse to her in all your wants, being sure that all your petitions will meet with a ready and hearty response. Never forget these three truths, which should be the main considerations of the true Christian on every occasion: First, That sin is the only evil which should be feared; Second, The grace of God is the real good for which we should strive with all our heart; Third, The salvation of the soul is the all‐important business of our lives, for which we were created, and which should be looked after with that care which it deserves.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Twentieth Day.

The husband, as head of the family, owes to his wife fidelity, love, and support. Fidelity is that constancy of affection which he has promised at his marriage, and which must be preserved inviolable until death; it means that purity of soul and body which will not permit itself to be degraded by impurity and adultery. Conjugal fidelity is a great and holy duty, in which matrimony is held sacred. There you find peace, happiness, and the blessing of almighty God. Our Lord was very stringent upon this point, for He says: “Whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.”—Matt. v. 28. Whosoever then commits adultery transgresses a most important divine commandment. In the Old Law this crime was punished by stoning the guilty person to death, and in the primitive Church by a severe public penance of many years’ duration. What fidelity does not the husband demand of the wife! With the same strictness is he obliged to be faithful to her whom he has chosen as his life companion.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty‐first Day.

The second duty of the husband and wife is conjugal love. The word conjugal means joined together, because husband and wife are united to bear the same burden. The Apostle says: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church, and delivered Himself up for it.”—Ephes. v. 25. Husband and wife are individuals whom God has joined in inseparable companionship. The greatest bond between mankind, and the sweetest one, is conjugal love, of which we are thinking on this day consecrated to the Holy Family. Keep this great duty before your eyes and never forget it, for it is easily destroyed. It is from that love, too, that should spring your children, who are to grow up to take your place in the Church and the State. These children you are to bring up in the fear and love of God, faithful to the Church and their fatherland. A tremendous responsibility!

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty‐second Day.

The husband is the main worker in the family, so that his duty is to provide for his family by his industry and economy. He must look for employment and strive to keep it, so as to have a never‐failing source of income, by which his people may live in comparative comfort. There are husbands who will allow their wives and children to work, while they themselves live idle lives, which is the fashion of the untutored Indian. Not only must the husband work, but he must live in economy, and not throw his money away foolishly in gaming or in drunkenness. The most frequent cause of a husband and father’s failure to provide for his family is drunkenness. Drunkenness causes woe, sin, sorrow and shame. Drunkenness besots the mind, and makes of an intelligent being a brute in his passions, and a fool in his actions; it extinguishes the spirit of God in him, all sentiments of religion are lost, the Church of God is despised and disgraced. Drunkenness does as much harm as the greatest vices, bringing ruin with it whenever indulged in.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty‐third Day.

The husband has to share the care of the children and he should look after the instruction of the child. Children are a great treasure, worth more than all the wealth of the world. The Lord said of them to the apostles: “Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” And why is the Lord so anxious for the welfare of the innocent child? Because it is a weak human being, unable to help itself, destined for heaven, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, and a temple of the Holy Ghost, more fitted to be such on account of the purity of its soul. Now the care of this child is given to the father and the mother, under whose care it is to grow up a true Christian, an exemplary member of the Church of God; to live on until it has fulfilled its days and the duties of its state of life, when, like yourself, having come to the fulness of maturity, it is gathered in to render an account of its life work to almighty God. The success of the child’s life depends chiefly on the manner in which its parents fulfil their duty.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty‐fourth Day.

In what special duties are you to instruct your children? First of all, let the young children learn early to pray, make them think of God, speak to them of His love for mankind, teach them to adore Him, because He has created them, to thank Him for all His benefits which flow to them so abundantly, to ask Him with confidence for all the graces that they need. Correct the children for their faults: Lying, stealing, cursing, stubbornness, disobedience, fighting, and cruelty. Have an eye very early on their morals, for little children learn to do wicked things, by which they lose the love and grace of God. Be not a tyrant, but a sensible, religious father or mother, and see to it that the children are free from these vices. Give them no bad example, especially by using profanity, or by getting intoxicated. All this presupposes perpetual vigilance; remember you will have to render a strict account of these things before God.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty‐fifth Day.

Having considered the husband’s duties, we must now look at the duty of a wife. The Scriptures say of the wife: “A good wife is a good portion; she shall be given in the portion of them that fear God, to a man for his good deeds.”—Eccles. xxvi. 3. There is nothing in the whole world more precious than a good wife. “A wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish will pull down with her hands that also which is built.”—Prov. xiv. 1. A wife must love her husband, and she owes him the most scrupulous fidelity; if the first duty of the husband is to love his wife, so also is there a corresponding duty to return that love. She must be patient with him when he comes home murmuring against his fate; she must make the home agreeable to him by cleanliness and cheerfulness. She must bear the burdens of this life with her husband, and encourage him, that he may not be despondent. The wife must be sober, not given to scolding and fault‐finding. “Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord; because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church.”—Ephes. v. 22.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty‐sixth Day.

The conscientious observance of the marriage vows is to be a supreme law to the wife. Purity must be the virtue principally looked to in marriage, according to the laws of the Sacrament of Matrimony; the wife’s motto must be that of Susanna of old, who said: “I will rather die than sin before God.” The wife owes her husband a compliance at least to his wishes; not exactly an abject obedience, but that the husband and wife consult with each other, and that she comply in all lawful and sensible things. This subjection is founded on the Scriptures. God Himself said to Eve, “Thou shalt be under thy husband’s power, and he shall have dominion over thee” (Gen. iii. 16), and St. Paul declares, “Let women be subject to their husbands as to the Lord.”—Ephes. v. 22. The loving, true, and obedient wife exerts an unbounded influence for good over her husband. She will make him great in the eyes of men, she will make him respectable and presentable in society; in short, she will make the married life a truly happy one from beginning to end.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty‐seventh Day.

The wife has a sublime calling to be a mother. What is more beautiful than motherhood? what is more useful to the new‐born humanity than the mother? All the world recognizes her dignity, and respects her. A Christian mother will consider the child a gift from God, which though given to her, still belongs to God; hers is the first care of the newly‐born infant, her care and love will not relax for all time to come. She is always the mother. Have the child presented for Baptism at the very earliest moment; if it be in danger of death see that it receives private baptism. Then start out in patience and kindness to rear it, giving it a secular but above all a religious training, as the child must be prepared to take its place as a good member of society and of the Church. Hence prayers must be taught, and care must be taken that they are recited with piety and regularity; the dogmas of the Church must be impressed on the child. At home it has to learn all that pertains to the spiritual life of the holy Roman Catholic Church, of which it is a member. Secular learning must be imparted, too, as much as possible in schools belonging to the Church, so that the very best education may be secured for the child.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty‐eighth Day.

The mother must watch over the children, and be very careful of the company they keep. She must see that prayers are said morning and night, before and after meals, that they go regularly to church on Sundays, and to school every day. When they are able to go to work, give them an occupation so that they will not be idle. Keep a vigilant eye on your grown‐up sons and daughters. They are forming acquaintances which perhaps are not good for them; their associations may not be the best. Unrestricted, unobserved meetings should not be allowed, for they excite the passions. When the time of their marriage comes, pray to almighty God that they may find such partners as will be a help to them for the rest of their lives, and lead them on in sanctity to their eternal salvation. As you have been a good mother to your children, they will respect your memory, will pray for you when you are gone, and will imitate your virtues. The memory of a good mother lives forever.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty‐ninth Day.

The principal feast during the month of February is the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, or Candlemas. On that day Mary goes to the Temple, because the days of her purification are over. For forty days she was excluded from the Temple as being impure. Mary, as we know, was holy and good, and did not need to subject herself to the Law of Moses; but she was obedient and permitted herself to be regarded as an ordinary woman. There in the Temple she presented her first‐born Son to God. He belongs to God already, He is God; He is the victim by whose atonement a permanent reconciliation is effected between God and man. The gates of heaven are opened, and the places made vacant by the fall of the angels are to be filled. Mary brings with her the offering of the poor, a pair of turtle‐doves as a ransom. God has accepted the sacrifice of His divine Son, made for Him by His holy Mother. O holy Virgin! do thou also make propitiation to the Father for us poor sinners, that we may be acceptable to God, may belong to God, and may spend our lives in His service.

Prayer.

O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.

Litany of the Holy Family.

(_For Private Devotion Only._)

Lord, have mercy on us. _Lord, have mercy on us._ Christ, have mercy on us. _Christ, have mercy on us._ Lord, have mercy on us. _Lord, have mercy on us._ Christ, hear us. _Christ, graciously hear us._ God, the Father of heaven, _Have mercy on us_. God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, _Have mercy on us_. God, the Holy Ghost, _Have mercy on us_. Holy Trinity, one God, _Have mercy on us_. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, _Have mercy on us_. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, worthy subjects of our reverence and love, _We all have recourse to you._ Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, by the voice of the ages called the Holy Family, _We all have recourse to you._ Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, names forever blessed, of the father, the Mother, and the Child, who compose the Holy Family, _We all have recourse to you._ Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, pure husband, pure spouse, and divine Child, restorers of the family, degraded before Christianity, _We all have recourse to you._ Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, image of the august Trinity on earth, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, whose chaste union was prepared for by an innocent and virtuous youth, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, tried by great contradictions, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, afflicted in the journey to Bethlehem, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, repulsed by all, and forced to take refuge in a stable, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, greeted by the concert of angels, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, visited by the poor shepherds, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, extolled by holy Simeon, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, persecuted and exiled to a strange land, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, hidden and unknown at Nazareth, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, faithful to the law of God, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, model of the Christian family, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, in which reign peace and concord, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, whose head is a model of paternal vigilance, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, whose spouse is a model of maternal solicitude, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, whose Child is a model of obedience and filial piety, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, who led a poor, laborious, and penitent life, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, who earned your bread by the sweat of your brow, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, poor in goods of the earth, but rich in goods of heaven, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, despised by men, but great in God’s eyes, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, our support during life and our hope at the hour of our death, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, patron and protector of our associates, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, _We all have recourse to you._ Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, _Spare us, O Lord_! Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, _Graciously hear us, O Lord_! Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, _Have mercy on us, O Lord_! Jesus, hear us. _Jesus, graciously hear us._

_Let Us Pray._

O God of goodness and mercy, Who hast vouchsafed to call us to this pious association of the Holy Family, grant us the grace always to honor and imitate Jesus, Mary, and Joseph; that having pleased them on earth we may enjoy their company forever in heaven. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Memorare To Mary.

Remember, O most loving Virgin Mary! that no one ever had recourse to thy protection, implored thy aid, or sought thy mediation without obtaining relief. Confiding, therefore, in thy goodness and mercy, we cast ourselves at thy sacred feet, and do most humbly supplicate thee, O Mother of the Eternal Word! to adopt us as thy children and to take upon thyself the care of our salvation. O let it not be said, our dearest Mother, that we have perished, where no one ever found but mercy, grace, and salvation. Amen.

Form Of Renewing The Baptismal Vows.

Humbly prostrate before Thee, O my God! and before the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I return my grateful thanks for the inestimable benefit bestowed upon me, of being born and educated in the Catholic Church, of which I was made a child by Baptism. I thus received a right to the graces which Jesus Christ dispenses through the sacraments, the happiness of being admitted into the number of the children of the true faith, and the hope of one day entering paradise. I come to renew and ratify the promises made at my Baptism. Yes, O my God! I desire to belong entirely to Thee, to serve Thee all my life, and strive always for the end for which I was created. Therefore I renounce Satan and all his works, sin and its occasions. I renounce the world, its maxims and vanities. I renounce the flesh and its concupiscences, all irregular desires, and whatever may be displeasing to Thee. I renounce human respect, which for so long kept me from Thee. Formerly I feared the world and its ridicule, now I have but one fear, that of forgetting my religious duties. I will henceforth faithfully perform them, I will live according to the precepts and maxims of Jesus Christ, I will be a good Christian. O Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! make me more and more worthy of the name. Through the help of your powerful protection, may I be a respectful child of God, submissive to the Church, faithful to my duties, that I may one day have the happiness of thanking and glorifying you in the heavenly country. I am resolved to live according to the precepts and maxims of Jesus Christ; yes, I desire to live a good Christian life, that I may die the death of the elect. I promise to remain faithful to my obligations as an associate of the Holy Family, and hope to persevere until death. And at that moment what happiness it will be for me to pass from the arms of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph on earth, to the arms of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in heaven, for all eternity. This is my hope. Amen.

An indulgence of forty days.

Act Of Consecration.

O Jesus, Mary, Joseph, I, N. N., in sight of the whole celestial court, choose you this day for my patrons and protectors. I offer, and solemnly consecrate to you in this association, my body and soul, all I have and all I am. I promise to live as a good Christian, that I may die the death of the predestined. What happiness for me to pass one day from the arms of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph on earth, to the arms of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in heaven, for all eternity. This is my hope. Amen.

MARCH. ST. JOSEPH.

We can easily imagine that the foster‐father of the Infant Jesus must have been a great man in the eyes of God. His duties were very important; they called for such a self‐sacrificing character. We wish to imitate his virtues this month; we wish to praise almighty God for all the distinctions which He has showered upon St. Joseph; we want to belong to St. Joseph, to be associated with him in heaven, and even now while we are still on earth, for prayer associates us here with those whom we address above. The saints hear our prayers by God’s favor, and they reply at once. We need many things, and so we are going to pray to St. Joseph, especially during this month, for whatever we want. Go confidently and make out a list of your necessities, write them down, and look over them occasionally to see whether your petitions have been granted.

St. Joseph is all‐powerful before God; whatever we ask of him we are sure to obtain; this has been the experience of many good Christians; it will also be your experience if you sincerely try it.

St. Joseph sanctified labor, poverty, and privations, by bearing them with patience, humility, and resignation to the will of God. We have many trials in life to endure, we have need of these virtues; let us look to it that we acquire them for our own spiritual comfort. Let us bear with patience all these trials; patience makes things bearable, for without this virtue we would sink in despair.

The feast of St. Joseph is celebrated on the nineteenth of March, and for this reason the month of March is dedicated to honor, venerate, and pray to this great friend of God. The Church has in various ways encouraged this devotion. Her devout children have taken it up, so that we find the month of March as much dedicated to St. Joseph as the month of May to the Blessed Virgin. Catholics hold St. Joseph in high veneration, and deservedly so, as we will see in the following meditations on his life. They have great confidence in his power before God, they know that he is a great saint, and a great favorite with the Almighty. Many examples of virtue has this loved saint given to us: his love of poverty, his assiduous labors, his resignation to the will of God in the most trying circumstances, are practical virtues, which we may endeavor to acquire for our own spiritual as well as temporal welfare. The affairs of human life are such, that we often find ourselves having to sustain hard trials, in which we need precisely those same virtues which made him a great saint.

Let us then enter upon this month with great joy, and continue to honor this saint, that we may love him, and become particularly devoted to him. Let us pray especially for our eternal salvation, in which he is greatly interested being the patron of a happy death, and then we will be sharers, after this life, in the same glory which he enjoys in heaven.

Considerations and Prayers for Every Day.

First Day.

After the adoration of the Lord, and the veneration of the Blessed Virgin, next in order of importance comes the devotion to St. Joseph. Among all the saints of God in heaven, there is none more powerful, none has more claim on our confidence and love. Almighty God encourages us to look up to St. Joseph, for to him were intrusted the greatest treasures that the world ever saw, Jesus and Mary. Our Lord from the first moment recognized St. Joseph as the one who took the place of His heavenly Father, and He obeyed him in all things. Mary respected this saintly man as the head of the family, as her spouse whom God had sent to her for her protection. She, before whom the angels bowed in respect, willingly served St. Joseph in the necessities of this life. The Church of God, the custodian of truth, revelation, and tradition, has encouraged this devotion by many indulgences. St. Francis de Sales said to his confessor on the eve of his death: “Do you not know, venerable father, that I belong to St. Joseph?” St. Teresa called him her father and master.

Prayer.

Holy St. Joseph, spouse of Mary, be mindful of me, pray for me, watch over me. Guardian of the paradise of the new Adam, provide for my temporal wants. Faithful guardian of the most precious of all treasures, I beseech thee to bring this matter to a happy end, if it be for the glory of God and the good of my soul. Amen.

Second Day.

The devotion to St. Joseph, when well understood and faithfully practised, is undoubtedly a great means of increasing piety. We know well that we honor the saints most by imitating their virtues, therefore we will endeavor to acquire these virtues which most distinguished our saint, and the chief virtue of St. Joseph was piety. We will learn to love Jesus tenderly; to do all our actions with the intention of pleasing Him, to remain faithful to the teachings of the Church; all this is piety. The whole life of St. Joseph was a life of poverty, humility, retirement, recollection and prayer. When the Egyptian people were starving, and clamoring for food, Pharao said to them, “Go to Joseph,” who had gathered the superfluous grain of seven abundant years, and kept the keys of the granaries in his possession. So now, also, can we say confidently, “Go to Joseph,” who holds the keys of the graces and blessings of God. We need never fear the poverty which may stare us in the face, knowing that all our needs will be supplied by him.

Prayer.

Holy St. Joseph, spouse of Mary, etc., etc.

Third Day.

When Mary was chosen to be Mother of God, the old judgment of God was re‐ echoed: “It is not good for man to be alone.” God gave her a chaste spouse. The honor of the Son of God required that He should be born of a virgin, but He needed a man to protect Him and His Mother. A man worthy of this trust had to be chosen, and such a one was found in the person of St. Joseph. He was a man of angelic purity and he would guard the purity of his bride. He was to be the reputed father of Jesus before the Jews, lest Mary be stoned for having broken her marriage vows; his purity was to be in every way similar to that of the purest of virgins. All those who were immediately connected with the great work of our salvation, were to be pure and spotless, their sanctity was to be unquestioned. It was the will of God that the divine origin of His adorable Son should be hid from human eyes, and Joseph was chosen to become the cloak with which this mystery was enshrouded. Only in the secrecy of his family life did he manifest his adoration of the “Word made flesh,” and there, as in a sanctuary, he adored his Lord and Saviour.

Prayer.

Holy St. Joseph, spouse of Mary, etc., etc.

Fourth Day.

Joseph is that wise and provident servant, who was set over his family to distribute to it the necessary food at stated times. He is the visible physical means which God employed for the work of the salvation of mankind. God chooses, it is true, humble instruments to accomplish His holy designs, but at the same time He furnishes them with suitable graces, that His work may be gloriously and effectively performed. Such a servant was chosen by God in the person of St. Joseph, who was a humble and saintly man. To him He gave His graces, for He refuses them to the proud. We too ought to be disinterested and humble in the service of God, using our natural talents to the fullest extent because they belong to God, and have been given to us for the special purpose of performing the duties of our vocation in this world. Disinterestedness and humility are the great sources from which all good proceeds.

Prayer.

Holy St. Joseph, spouse of Mary, etc., etc.

Fifth Day.

All the saints were filled with the spirit of the Lord, and in consequence they esteemed the virtue of humility as the foundation of perfection. St. Bernard considered this virtue as the corner‐stone of the edifice of faith; the perfection of Christian virtues; the tower of safety, into which the soul could retire before the insidious attacks of Satan. And St. Ambrose calls this virtue the first one, and the source of all other virtues—all other virtues must be combined with humility to give them value. To no other virtue does God give so many graces. Just because St. Joseph thought nothing of himself, and lowered himself in the eyes of others, did Jesus select him as His foster‐father. This great virtue of humility appears in all the circumstances of his life. Though of the royal house of David, still he did not disdain to labor at the humble trade of a carpenter. He was perfectly resigned to the providence of God; God’s will was his will, and he never repined at the trials God sent him.

Prayer.

Holy St. Joseph, spouse of Mary, etc., etc.

Sixth Day.