Joseph Advances in Wisdom and in the Fear and Love of God

The following excerpts are taken from the The Life of St. Joseph (first referred to as the "Revelations of St. Joseph" in the original Italian) as received through a series of inner locutions from Our Lord to Mother Maria Cecilia Baij, O.S.B., abbess of the Benedictine Convent of St. Peter in Montefiascone, Italy, during the middle of the 18th century (1743-1766). These revelations have received wide acceptance, both theological and popular, in Italy and Germany, where copies and translations of the text were originally distributed. Mother Baij also received from Jesus through inner locutions the contents which presently make up the Inner Life of Jesus Christ, a five-volume work presently published in Italian and German. Pope Benedict XV reportedly granted initial approval and encouraging support for the revelations received by Mother Baij, according to the text's introduction. Moreover, numerous theologians in the past two centuries have likewise granted their theological support and approval of this series of revelations.

The Life of St. Joseph as described in these locutions provides a profound and inspiring example of Christian purity, patience, gentleness, and coredemption, which certainly would be appropriate for the man that the Church has designated as the greatest saint after Our Lady.
—Ed.

Joseph Advances in Wisdom and in the Fear and Love of God

As he grew older Joseph made great strides in the practice of virtue, in the love for God, and in the study¹ of the Scriptures, especially the Psalms of David. He recited them so frequently, he knew most of them by heart. Joseph's life developed along these lines for fifteen years. He continuously preserved undefiled his early innocence.

He never caused God any displeasure, committing neither mortal sin, nor any deliberate venial sin; and he made every effort to avoid even the very shadow of sin, always taking to heart the admonition of the Holy Spirit: "Whosoever disregards little faults, will eventually fall into greater ones." He was ever careful in this respect, and very conscientious about minor things.

He guarded his senses most carefully, especially his eyes, remembering how David and many others had fallen through curious looks which ought to have been avoided. The more that he mortified his senses in order to remain faithful to God, the more grace did he receive from God, and the more intense did his love become for this one and only object of all his love and desires.

When he felt impelled to gaze at something which would delight the eye, but which became an occasion for remorse, considering the likelihood of being drawn into sin, he would quickly raise his eyes towards heaven and seek contentment in contemplating with the eyes of the spirit the uncreated beauties of God. By means of contemplation of heavenly things, he gradually lost all enjoyment in creatures; inflamed ever more with the love of God, he experienced all that joy which is to be found in occupying oneself solely with God and seeking one's delight in Him alone.

Joseph understood very well that his parents loved him dearly. Yet he complained at times about this to God, because he feared that this love which they bore him might be prejudicial to their love for God. When the opportunity presented itself, he took advantage of it to warn them, and to remind them how much God deserved all their love. He expressed his gratitude for their affection, but also disclosed his fear that it might be too worldly, and consequently become displeasing to God, Who must be loved above all things, and Who alone ought to possess all of their love.

His parents were edified by these remarks and endeavored to divest themselves of any excessive love for their son, and to offer him completely to God, as Joseph had bade them to do. This attitude of his parents comforted Joseph very much. He gave thanks to God, Who in His graciousness had granted him this great favor of having his suggestions received so favorably and so graciously by his parents.

Joseph was very much concerned about keeping secret his virtuousness and his wisdom. He never initiated any learned discussions on the Scriptures, although he was extremely well informed on the Mosaic Law. In fact, he was generally considered to be lacking in mental acumen, and hence a person of very poor discernment. He was happy about this, because he desired to be despised arid unappreciated by everyone. Joseph never wished to discuss, or even to hear about, the current events or developments in the town. He alleged that it interfered with the concentration which he found so necessary for maintaining his contact with God and for studying the Scriptures. Hence, such matters, or anything else that might arouse a useless curiosity, were never mentioned in his presence. Truly, Joseph lived a very retired life. He would deny his senses even the slightest of satisfactions if he thought it could make him less pleasing to God in any way. This ascetic activity originated in the illuminations given by God to Joseph in prayer, for the Most High let him know what was expected of him if he wished to be fully pleasing to Him. And Joseph always undertook to do anything he knew would please God.

Among other things, Joseph had received a special faculty for giving effective assistance to the afflicted. Whenever he conversed with such people, his attitude and treatment somehow always managed to produce an alleviation of sorrow. Of course, he always had recourse to God, and pleaded fervently for comfort in behalf of those with whom he had to deal. His ability to ease the burden of the oppressed became known throughout the locality, and brought many to his home to listen to him and to obtain his assistance.

He gave encouragement to all to bear up under their afflictions; he would exhort them to confidently recommend themselves to God, from Whom they could expect all that was good, all that was comforting, and Who, in His power, could bestow generously upon everyone. At the same time he would ask them to pray that God, in His goodness, might expedite the manifestation of His mercy by sending the promised Messiah, because they all could expect to find their greatest consolation in Him.

Many a man, weighed down with poverty, lacking even the bare necessities of life eventually had recourse to Joseph, and was confident that he would help him. Joseph then humbly had to ask his parents to provide what was necessary for the needy applicant. They always readily complied with their son's wishes.

As he made the distribution to the poor, Joseph would say: "See what great benefits you are receiving from the good God! He has given all this to me through the hands of my father for the sole purpose of aiding you. It is no more than right that you give thanks to Him, even as I do, for these things." In this way he hoped to avoid praise for any charitable deeds, for he also considered himself to be a poor wretch, and overwhelmingly blessed with heavenly benefactions for the sole purpose of having him share them with others.

It is not surprising, therefore, to find him so solicitous that everything should be received as coming from the bountiful hand of God, to Whom he wished to give all honor and thanksgiving. Those who came to him for alms esteemed him for this, and praised him throughout the village.

All this provided certain vicious characters with an inducement to envy and persecution. They spoke ill of Joseph, declaring that he did everything merely to be praised and honored. The devil made good use of these evil-minded creatures to bring the virtue of the holy youth into bad repute. When Joseph was informed of all this, he rejoiced. He was glad to be held in disdain, and to have evil rumors spread about concerning him. He only regretted that God was being offended by these same actions, and he prayed that these people would be enlightened and the divine goodness appeased.

He recommended all his calumniators to God, and when he encountered these critics he was always polite and friendly. If he had the opportunity to engage in a conversation with them, he would remark: "It matters but little what you do to me, but you ought to have more concern not to offend God." Some of these individuals gradually grew to like Joseph, because of his gentle and charitable attitude. He was always humble and submissive towards everyone, and was really convinced that others possessed more virtue than he. Small wonder that obstinate hearts were softened by his kind and loving words. It was evident that the Saint lived in prayerful communion with God and that his soul was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Since Joseph had a deep faith, he never doubted promises given him by God through the medium of the angel. Even though their fulfillment seemed to have been indefinitely postponed, he never wavered in his steadfast belief that everything would in time be accomplished. In doing so, he imitated Abraham's great faith. He considered the angel's disclosures to be completely reliable, and so resigned himself to patient waiting while he continued to make his supplications to God for the great consolation of their fulfillment.

Since Joseph walked faithfully in the way of divine commandments, and as a result, attained interiorly a certain degree of heavenly repose, God wished to test his fidelity still further. He now withheld all illuminations and inner consolations, and also that very substantial help which he had derived from the visits of his angel, for he was now deprived of all sensible awareness of the latter's presence. As a consequence, Joseph experienced great distress and anxiety.

However, he did not discontinue any of his usual devotional exercises; on the contrary, these circumstances served rather to increase his prayers and fastings. He actually spent whole nights in prayer, in continual supplications to God. He feared that he had somehow offended Him, and he asked God to reveal to him through his angel the cause of this abandonment so that he might do the necessary penance. He himself was unaware of any fault which could have occasioned this withdrawal of divine support.

He remained for some months in this state of tribulation, and bore it all with great courage, and with the firm hope that God would eventually console him in this grievous trial. The more abandoned he felt, the more his faith and hope in God increased, the more fervently he clung to God in his prayers, and the more conformed he made himself to God's holy will. He humbled himself more and more, and acknowledged to God that he deserved to be so abandoned, because of his imperfect cooperation with grace.

Though God permitted the devil to torment Joseph at this stage with various temptations, especially with that of mistrust, the Saint, nevertheless, remained steadfast, and always relied more and more upon God's goodness. After he bore this desolation with patience and resignation and courageously resisted all the attacks and temptations of the evil one, the more did it please God to relieve him and reward him for his faithfulness.

As he was praying one night in his distress, Joseph perceived the Divine Voice itself, telling him of His love for him, and asserting that He had never forsaken him, but had always been at his side, assisting him by means of His grace. The voice was permeated with a remarkable sweetness, and in the fullness of his consolation Joseph gave way to tears. His mind was very much enlightened during this manifestation, and he gave praise and thanksgiving to God for consoling him in such a sublime manner, and for restoring him to his original state of peace.

After spending some time in thanksgiving and intimate communion with God, Joseph betook himself to rest, whereupon the angel again appeared to him and assured him that he had pleased God by his faithfulness in resisting temptations, and by his entire deportment during this period of desolation; he told Joseph that God allowed all this in order to try him, and not because he had in any way offended Him, as he feared.

After awakening, Joseph felt a great peace come over him as a result of what had been revealed to him, and he besought his angel to give that requisite thanks to God which he himself felt so incapable of giving. The angel complied with this request of his protege. Joseph could not praise and glorify God enough for this return of light and peace to his soul. He would speak at every opportunity of the divine perfections and splendor, being always more enkindled with divine love, so much so, that even his face would flush and his eyes become singularly luminous, to the amazement of his parents and all who observed it.

The parents were happy about this, though not without experiencing an intense constriction of heart. They often discussed between themselves this blessing which was theirs, i.e., to have received such a son from God. On the day that the most holy virgin Mary was born, She who was destined to be the Mother of the Incarnate and Joseph's bride, the angel appeared again to Joseph and told him to give special thanksgiving to God for one of His greatest benefits, which was to be conferred that day upon the whole world, but more particularly upon him.

The angel said nothing more, and Joseph did not make any requests for further details, but upon awakening from sleep Joseph had immediate recourse to prayer, giving thanks to God, as the angel had instructed him, for the favor to be bestowed upon him and upon the world.

As he did so, he experienced a felicity the likes of which had never been granted to him before, wherefore he entered into a blissful rapture, during which many secrets were revealed to him concerning the coming of the Messiah, and concerning His Mother. This all was a consolation to him, but also filled him with longing for the arrival of the Messiah. Such sentiments certainly pleased God as He wished to have ardent appeals made to Him for this great favor, just as He expects supplications on the part of men for other hoped for eminent and exalted graces.