Devotion to St. Joseph: poor man who knew the richness of poverty

1. Joseph is poor.

He is poor according to the world, which usually judges wealth by the possession of abundant matter. Gold, silver, fields, houses, aren't these the riches of the world? Joseph has none of this. He hardly has what is necessary for life; and in order to live, one must industrious with the work of his hands.

And Joseph also was the son of David, the son of a king: his ancestors had splendors of riches. Giuseppe, however, does not sigh and does not complain: he does not cry over fallen goods. He is so happy.

2. Joseph knows the riches of poverty.

Precisely because the world evaluates the riches of abundant matter, Giuseppe estimates his riches from the lack of earthly goods. There is no danger that he will attach his heart to what is destined to perish: his heart is too big, and he has so much divine in him that he really does not intend to dishearten him by lowering him to the level of matter. How many things the Lord has hidden from you, and how many he makes us glimpse, and how many he gives to hope!

3. Joseph appreciates the freedom of the poor.

Who does not know that the rich are slaves? Only those who look at the surface can envy the rich: but whoever gives things their right value knows that the rich are ensnared by a thousand and a thousand things and people. Wealth is demanding, it is heavy, it is tyranny. To preserve wealth one must worship wealth.

What humiliation!

But the poor man, who hides true goods in his heart and knows how to content himself with little, the poor man rejoices and sings! He always has the sky, the sun, the air, the water, the meadows, the clouds, the flowers ...

And always find a piece of bread and a fountain!

Giuseppe lived like the poorest!

Joseph poor, but so rich, let me touch the emptiness, the falsity of earthly riches, with your hand. What will they do to me on the day of death? Not with them will I go to the tribunal of the Lord, but with the works that were my life. I want to be rich in good too, even if I have to live in poverty. You were poor and with you were Jesus and Mary poor. How can one remain uncertain in the choice?

READING
St. Francis de Sales writes about the interior dispositions of our Saint.

«No one doubts that St. Joseph has always been perfectly submissive to the divine will. And don't you see it? Look how the Angel guides him as he wishes: he tells him that we must go to Egypt, and he goes there; commands him to return, and returns. God wants him to be always poor, what forms one of the greatest tests he can give us; he submits lovingly, and not for a time, since he was so for his whole life. And what poverty? of a despised, rejected, needy poverty ... He submitted himself humbly to the will of God, in the continuation of his poverty and his abjection, without allowing himself in any way to overcome or be overwhelmed by the inner tedium, which undoubtedly made frequent attacks on him; he remained constant in submission. "

FOIL. I will not complain if today I will have to endure some deprivation.

Ejaculation. Poverty lover, pray for us. The sharp thorns that the century offers you are very happy divine roses.