Joseph is Molested by the Devil. His Patience in Tribulations and Persecutions

Chapter   8

Joseph   Has   A   Special   Sympathy   For   The Dying.

   He   Endeavors   To   Assist   Them  In   Their   Final   Struggles

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Of the many gifts which God in His graciousness had bestowed on our Joseph, that of a special concern for the indigent dying was, indeed, most unique. Joseph realized that the devil would exert every effort to make a conquest over a soul and lead it into everlasting torments. His angel had once called his attention to the great danger in which the dying found themselves, and at the time this was being revealed to him, God instilled in his heart a great sympathy and an ardent love for them.

Joseph assisted them all with the greatest solicitude. Since God destined him to be their patron, He wanted him to initiate and carry on this great work of love in this earthly life. Hence, He enabled him to recognize the great needs of souls in their last moments. Realizing that the hour of death determines for every soul an eternal life of continual happiness, or of never-ending unhappiness and misery, Joseph was imbued with an urgent desire to help these souls.

He had no peace nor rest whenever he knew someone was engaged in the death struggle. He would remain for hours on his knees to implore God for the dying person, so that through a happy death his soul might come to rest in Abraham's bosom. In order to be better able to pray for these people, Joseph would not only deprive himself of rest, but also would not eat. He would admonish all to trust in the divine mercy and to resist the assaults of the devil.

The dying felt themselves strengthened through the support given by Joseph, and the powers of the evil spirits were very much diminished by his prayers. God granted Joseph the special favor of bringing to salvation the soul of every dying person who was fortunate enough to have him present at this crucial time. Such souls were then consigned to Limbo or to Purgatory. Inasmuch as Joseph realized all this, he was greatly consoled, and expressed his deep gratitude to God. The devil became very much enraged over this great work of love. One night, after he had again sustained the loss of a soul because of the assistance given by the Saint, Satan appeared to him in a most horrible and shocking form. He threatened to hurl Joseph to destruction if he would not refrain from this activity. The Saint was filled with fear at the sight of this sinister monstrosity. He had immediate recourse to God, and begged for His help. The infernal dragon vanished.

Joseph continued to pray, and he received a divine communication urging him to proceed with his charitable service to the dying, and not to give way to fear; this work, he was told, was most pleasing to God. Encouraged and consoled by this interior voice, the Saint became even more inflamed with love for the dying, and then proceeded with his fervent prayers in their behalf. Everyone considered himself to be most fortunate if he was able to have Joseph present at the time of death, because not only was Joseph able to deliver them from the frenzied attacks of the infernal enemy, but in virtue of the prayers of the Saint, their souls were assured of entry into the haven of salvation.

In the course of this charitable activity, Joseph had to put up with many afflictions and persecutions from certain miscreants. These individuals were to a great extent abetted by the devil. However, this did not stop Joseph from rendering this service which was so pleasing to God and so beneficial to his neighbor.

On one occasion, as the saintly youth was somewhat downcast because of these persecutions, his angel spoke to him, advising him to be of good cheer and not to think of giving up his charitable work, because God had reserved for him a most special grace for the occasion of his own death. The angel, however, did not reveal anything more concerning this truly great blessing that was to be his, namely: the happy privilege of dying with the most loving assistance of Jesus and Mary.

Encouraged by this message of the angel, Joseph continued to act as before in his charitable activity. Once he knew that something was pleasing to God he always devoted himself entirely to it. No one could restrain him from carrying on those activities which he had undertaken for the glory of God and the good of his neighbor. Occasionally, Joseph would be informed in his sleep by the angel that someone was dying and needed his prayers. The Saint would then awaken from sleep and immediately give himself to prayer, begging God to condescend to assist this particular soul in its last agony with His grace. Nor would he arise from prayer until God assured him of His help. The angel frequently informed him of the fact that the number of lost souls was very great.

The holy youth became so distressed over this that he would weep bitterly throughout that entire day. He regretted that he could not be present at every deathbed, and help souls die a good death. With fervent sighs, he turned to God and implored Him to send the promised Messiah soon, so that souls might be freed from the bondage of Satan and ransomed by means of the Divine Redemption.

Whenever he was disconsolate and of tear-stained countenance, his parents would ask him the reason for his weeping. He explained with great candor and humility: "I bewail the irreparable ruin of so many souls whom God has created for the purpose of bringing them into eternal repose. Yet they are lost through their own faults.

"The devil holds a great sway over men; let us therefore implore God to send the Messiah before long so that by Him Satan may be deprived of his power and dominion, and souls may be delivered from the tyranny of such a ferocious dragon." He said this with such feelings of oppression and of sympathy that his parents were moved to tears and directed fervent pleas to Almighty God, asking Him to deign to send the Messiah quickly.

Frequently Joseph would plead for the return to health of hardened sinners who were at the point of being lost. He would give himself to prayer, beseeching God to restore these sinners to health, so that they might yet be sorry for their sins and eventually be saved. He would spend whole days praying and fasting in order to obtain grace for them.

It rarely happened that the Saint failed to obtain what he asked for. He sought to do all these things so as to be seen by God alone, and not by the eyes of men. Joseph himself bore best witness to God's satisfaction regarding his prayers and his love for the dying, in view of the fact that his prayers were usually heard, and because he experienced the refreshment of the divine consolations.

The Most High often granted to Joseph's soul such a taste of the divine loveliness and bliss, that he would be for a time completely engrossed in God and truly able to say with the holy king David: "For You my flesh and my heart have fainted away. You are the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion forever" (Ps. 72:26). Filled with such consolation and love for God, Joseph wouldn't eat anything for entire days, experiencing at the same time a remarkable sufficiency, and he was hardly able to speak or think of anything except God and His infinite love.