The Virgin was betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the House of David. - St. Luke 1:27
The Most High spoke to the heart of the high priest,
inspiring him to place into the hands of each one of the young men a dry stick,
with the command that each ask his Majesty with a lively faith, to single out
the one whom He had chosen as the spouse of Mary. While they were thus engaged
in prayer the staff which Joseph held was seen to blossom and at the same time
a dove of purest white and resplendent with admirable light, was seen to
descend and rest upon the head of the saint... And the priest espoused Mary to
the most chaste and holy of men, Saint Joseph. Venerable Maria de Agreda
The espousals between Joseph and Mary are an episode of
great importance. Joseph was of the royal line of David and, in virtue of his
marriage to Mary, would confer on the Son of the Virgin - on God's Son - the
legal tile of "Son of David," thus fulfilling the prophecies. The
espousals of Joseph and Mary are, because of this, a human event, but
determinant in the history of humanity's salvation, in the realization of the
promises of God; because of this, it also has a supernatural connotation, which
the two protagonists accept with humility and trust. Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican Gardens, 5 July 2010
In the Liturgy, Mary is celebrated as "united to
Joseph, the just man, by a bond of marital and virginal love." There are
really two kinds of love here, both of which together represent the
mystery of the Church -virgin and spouse - as symbolized in the marriage of
Mary and Joseph. “Virginity or celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of God not
only does not contradict the dignity of marriage but presupposes and confirms
it. Marriage and virginity are two ways of expressing and living the one
mystery of the Covenant of God with his people,” the Covenant which is a
communion of love between God and human beings. Bl Pope John Paul II, Redemptoris Custos
How exalted in the virtue of virginity must Joseph have
been who was destined by the Eternal Father to be the companion in virginity of
Mary! Both had made a vow to preserve virginity for their entire lives, and it
was the Will of God to join them in the bond of a holy marriage.
St.
Francis de Sales
Joseph teaches us that it is possible to love without
possessing. In contemplating Joseph, all men and women can, by God’s grace,
come to experience healing from their emotional wounds, if only they embrace
the plan that God has begun to bring about in those close to him, just as
Joseph entered into the work of redemption through Mary and as a result of what
God had already done in her. Pope Benedict XVI, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 18 March 2009
At
the Council of Constance in 1416, John Gerson proposed that a votive Feast of
the Betrothal of Mary Most Holy and St. Joseph be celebrated. In 1684 Innocent
XI permitted its celebration by certain Orders. Benedict XIII, Pius IX, Leo
XIII, gradually extended celebration of this feast day to various places,
spreading all over the world. In 1961 the Sacred Congregation of Rites issued
an instruction that removed from particular calendars numerous particular feasts,
including the Feast of the Espousals of Mary and St. Joseph, except in places
where the feasts have a special connection with the place itself. In the post
Vatican II period of liturgical renewal, the feast is again being permitted for
particular liturgical calendars.
:+: THE HOLY RING :+:
The wedding ring given by St Joseph to Our Lady. The ring, known as Santo Anello (Holy Ring) is housed in a chapel in the Cathedral of St Lorenzo in Perugia, Italy.
Apostolate of St Joseph
Prince of the Church
www.PrinceOfTheChurch.yolasite.com 
Amen ! Great and very interesting . God bless you
ReplyDeleteYes, it is interesting, we are blessed to have such wonderful words from our Popes and the Saints. God bless you too!
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