Taken from "THE BOOK OF JOSEPH": Young St. Joseph lived a sinless life as he grew in body, wisdom, and in the constant friendship of God. He also began learning the skills of basic carpentry. Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich and Servant of God Mother Cecelia Baij reveal this time in Joseph’s life:
When Joseph was about twelve years old, I often saw him visiting the caves where he would pray alone. He also enjoyed making all kinds of little things out of wood; for there was an old carpenter who had a workshop with whom Joseph spent much of his time. He helped him with his work and so little by little learnt his craft (A. Emmerich, 1953, pg. 77).
As Joseph grew older, he made great strides in the practice of virtue, in the love for God, and in the study of the Scriptures, especially the Davidic Psalms. His life developed along these lines for fifteen years without causing in God any displeasure, committing no sin: and he made every effort to avoid even the very shadow of sin (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 33, 34).
As the child Joseph continued to grow the devil took notice of him. He was aware that Joseph was unlike other children. This child possessed the reasoning and virtues of a grown man, lived piously, and communed with angels. He knew that he would associate with the coming Messiah, but did not know in what capacity. The devil was confused; he did not fully know what this boy’s role was in God’s redemptive plan, but he made war on him regardless, as Mother Cecelia Baij reveals:
The devil, that hellish fiend, was aware of the light that abided in Joseph and he feared that this child would arouse others to take up the struggle against him. He attempted several times to take the child’s life, but his plans always went awry, for Joseph was protected by the almighty arm of God. Joseph was guarded by two angels … and the angel who had been assigned to speak to him in his dreams continually advised him on what to do to overcome the infernal demon … Joseph never failed to carry out the admonitions of the angel (C. Baij, 1997, 10, 11).
Seeing the difficulty posed by the child’s protective angels, the devil then decided to go after those close to Joseph, namely his parents and the domestic servants. He tried to instill in them hostility and confusion with the desired outcome of mistreatment and abuse of little Joseph. Mother Cecelia Baij continues:
The devil devised another ruse, whereby, he endeavored to instigate strife and confusion between Joseph’s parents. This too failed. … Satan then attempted an attack upon the domestics of the household, but even this miscarried, for Joseph prayed for them all and God heard his petitions (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 11).
The angel who had been assigned to speak to Joseph in his dreams continually advised him in how to overcome the demon. He would inform Joseph as soon as he saw that the devil was preparing to launch another attack against the household, and Joseph never failed to carry out the admonitions of the angel. The devil often endeavored to stir up the domestics to mistreat Joseph, for the purpose of seeing him fail in the virtue of patience during affliction. But in this the demon never succeeded (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 16).
The devil, being increasingly angry and frustrated, then instilled in some of the townspeople a great hatred for Joseph, inciting them to abuse him in various ways. It is revealed that among them, the devil chose to act through, as Mother Cecelia writes, “undisciplined youths” and “a woman who led an evil life”:
Satan continued in his harassment of Joseph by stirring up against him several people who were leading bad lives; he implanted in them a great hatred for this holy soul … Undisciplined youths agreed to bombard him with invective whenever they would meet him ... they would scoff and jeer at him. The saintly Joseph would merely bow his head … and beg God that his enemies would be enlightened and realize their error. When the youths observed this, they labeled him a blockhead, a coward, and a frightened rabbit. Joseph calmly continued his way. The youths followed him, hurling at him their offensive language (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 26).
The harassment endured by Joseph is also revealed in the writings of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich and Mother Cecelia Baij who were shown visions of these events:
I often saw young Joseph under the colonnade in the outer court kneeling with his face to the wall, praying … and I saw the boys creep up and kick him. I once saw him kneeling like this, when one of them hit him on the back, and as he did not seem to notice it, he repeated his attack with such violence that poor Joseph fell forward onto the hard, stone floor. From this I realized that he was not in a waking condition, but had been in an ecstasy of prayer. When he came to himself, he did not lose his temper or take revenge, but found a hidden corner where he continued his prayer (A. Emmerich, 1953, pg. 76).
The sight of this virtuous child put the devil into a frightful rage. He became violent, and undertook one day, to cast Joseph down headlong over a flight of stairs ... Joseph called to God for help and the Most High prevented him from being harmed … the devil was now forced to withdraw (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 17).
The devil made use of a woman who, because of her evil life, hated the very sight of the little Saint. He incited her to go often to Joseph’s mother to harass her and to report falsehoods against her son. … Although he knew who was causing all the trouble, Joseph’s heart bore no hostility (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 27).
The purposes of these attacks by the devil were not just meant to produce some physical harm to Joseph, but to destroy or at least diminish his spirituality, his sanctity, by causing him to despair and to retaliate hatred with hatred. But this did not happen. Through all this, the child Joseph prayed for those who mistreated him, with the maturity of a grown man but with the innocence of a child. Mother Cecelia Baij reflects on the peace of St. Joseph, even in difficult times:
Joseph was so submerged in the thought of God’s love, and so joyful over the realization of God’s presence in his soul, that nothing could disturb the peace within his heart (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 17).
As the child Joseph grew, he matured quickly in intelligence, in awareness of God, and in angelic virtues. As revealed by Venerable Maria de Agreda, Mother Cecelia Baij and Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, this was the result of the work God had done in sanctifying him and blessing him with early use of reason, and the teaching of Scripture by his father Jacob.
The Lord hastened the use of Joseph’s reason, endowing it with infused science and augmenting his soul with new graces and virtues. The child began to know God as the cause and Author of all things. He eagerly listened and understood profoundly all that was taught him in regard to God and his works. He was of a kind disposition, loving, and affable, sincere, showing holy and angelic inclinations, growing in virtue and perfection (M. Agreda, 1912, p. 164).
Joseph was privileged to talk very early, his first words being “My God!” … When Joseph’s parents saw how intelligent he already was, they began instructing him in reading. He quickly advanced to the reading of the Sacred Scriptures, and especially the Davidic Psalms. This provided Joseph with much joy. Joseph had a great veneration for the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as for the prophet David. He often asked his father to tell him the stories of their lives. (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 12, 16).
By the age of seven, Joseph already had a true appreciation of all the virtues that the patriarchs had practiced (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 17).
At this premature age, he already practiced the highest kinds of prayer and contemplation. At the time when other boys come to the use of reason, at the age of seven years or more, saint Joseph was already a perfect man in the use of it and in holiness (M. Agreda, 1912, p. 164).
Joseph, whom I saw in this vision to be about the age of eight, was very gifted and was a very good scholar. He was simple, quiet, devout, and unpretentious. … His inclinations were towards working at some quiet handicraft, and prayer. I often saw him kneeling with his face to the wall, praying with outstretched arms (A. Emmerich, 1953, pg. 76).
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Concerning the little prince, St. Joseph, the Scriptures do not give any account of his childhood. As with the story of his conception and birth, one must look to the divinely inspired writings of Mother Cecelia Baij for details of Joseph’s circumcision, his early gift of reason, and his presentation in the Temple.
On the octave day of his birth, the parents had the infant circumcised … and he was given the name of “Joseph” (which means: May the Lord Give Increase). Though crying at first, the infant soon became quiet for among the many gifts which God had now bestowed upon him was the use of reason. And due to his sanctification in the womb, being freed of the stain of original sin, Joseph was already in the friendship of God (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 5).
Forty days after the birth of Joseph his parents brought him to the Jerusalem Temple to present him ... As the priest took Joseph into his arms, and presented and offered him to God, he experienced an extraordinary sensation of joy and consolation of spirit. The priest … perceived how pleasing this child was in the eyes of God. During the entire ritual Joseph’s eyes were open and directed towards heaven, being completely taken up and absorbed in God. … The priest revealed them that this child was pleasing to God, and was destined for great things … After hearing this, the parents gave thanks to God … their hearts profoundly touched and filled with joy. They carried Joseph home as a treasure, as a divinely conferred gift (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 6, 7).
"'The Book of Joseph' is one of the best books I have read on St. Joseph! There are many academic works that have been written on St. Joseph but sometimes the scholarship gets in the way of devotion, making for a boring and dry presentation. That’s not the case with this book! Jose Rodrigues definitely knows and loves St. Joseph! This book is scholarly but also very pious and devotional, appealing to the heart and offering the best of Catholic tradition on St. Joseph. I highly recommend this book!"
THE BOOK OF JOSEPH:Using the words of Popes, Saints, and approved mystics, The Book of Joseph, aims to dispel the common belief held by many that nothing is known about the saint other than what is mentioned briefly in the Bible. This work presents the life of St. Joseph beginning with the faithful prayers of his parents to conceive a son to his birth and childhood, harassment by the devil, his marriage to the Blessed Virgin, the birth and life of Christ through to the circumstances of his death. The book concludes with a series of prayers, scriptures, and feast days. Beautiful color illustrations, 160 pages
Through the Mystic Servant of God, Madre Cecilia Baij, whose writings
were given both the Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat, the circumstances of
St. Joseph’s conception and birth are known.
Joseph’s father, Jacob, was born in Nazareth whereas his mother, Rachel,
was born in Bethlehem. Both were descendants of King David and lived
together in Nazareth, leading very holy lives. Though they were full of
virtue, God deigned to leave them childless for a time, we are told
that ...
… Joseph was to be a child obtained through prayerful entreaty. To this
purpose, his parents generously bestowed alms upon the poor and for the
temple in Jerusalem. They also made many pilgrimages to beg God for the
desired offspring (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 1).
It was not long before God rewarded Jacob and Rachel with the conception
of their much prayed for son, with signs and angelic messages
announcing that the child was especially chosen and beloved by God.
Mother Cecelia Baij continues:
It was on one occasion while in the temple, that Joseph’s mother
experienced an inner conviction that God had heard her prayer … and
indeed she conceived St Joseph (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 1).
At this time, three unusually bright stars, surpassing one another in
beauty and splendor, could be seen directly above their home. An
angel came to them and revealed certain mysterious and secret facts
concerning this child. And the angel said to them:
“This child resting beneath his mother’s heart will have the happy
privilege of seeing the promised Messiah and associating with Him. You
are to rear him with special foresight and diligence, training and
instructing him in the Sacred Scriptures. You shall call his name
‘Joseph’ and he will be great in the sight of God (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 1,
2)!”
During this time of holy expectation, Jacob and Rachel immersed
themselves in prayer, giving to the poor, and observed periods of
fasting - all in thanksgiving to God for the coming of their promised
son. When the day for the little prince to be born into the world
finally arrived, Mother Cecelia Baij reveals:
Joseph’s mother gave birth to him with ease. The tiny babe had a most
angelic, venerable, and serene expression … and the mere sight of him
was an occasion of spiritual stimulation for everyone. The news of the
birth of this child, and the unusual circumstances connected with it,
spread throughout Nazareth. This child was said to be a veritable “angel
of paradise,” and all were elated over what they heard (C. Baij, 1997,
pg. 3).
The three stars again appeared over the house as Joseph was being born,
and were observed with astonishment. Joseph, upon opening his little
eyes, directed them heavenwards, and for a while kept them fixed upon
these stars, the signs God had given to announce his birth.
Joseph was in the grace and friendship of God, having been previously
freed of the stain of original sin. … His soul’s growth was derived from
the graces he obtained from the divine bounty and generosity. God
fashioned him according to His own heart and spirit, in order to
eventually make him a worthy bridegroom for the Mother of the Divine
Word (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 4, 5).
