S. IOSEPH, SPONSI BEATÆ MARIÆ VIRGINIS: Notanda

 

Ad I & II Vesperas

Te, Ioseph, célebrent ágmina cælitum,

te cuncti résonent christíanum chori,

qui, clarus méritis, iunctus es ínclitæ (1)

  casto fœdere Vírgini.

Almo cum túmidam gérmine cóniugem

admírans, dúbio tángeris ánxius,

afflátu súperi Fláminis ángelus

  concéptum púerum docet.

Tu natum Dóminum stringis, ad éxteras

Ægýpti prófugum tu séqueris plagas; (2)

amíssum Sólymis quæris et ínvenis,

  miscens gáudia flétibus.

Eléctos réliquos mors pia cónsecrat (3)

palmámque eméritos glória súscipit;

tu vivens, súperis par, frúeris Deo,

  mira sorte beátior.

Nobis, summa Trias, parce precántibus;

da Ioseph méritis sídera scándere,

ut tandem líceat nos tibi pérpetim

  gratum prómere cánticum. Amen.

1.  clarus méritis: Matt 1:19: Joseph autem vir ejus cum esset Justus; 2. The phrase is taken from the chapter for Sext: Cf. Sap 10, 10: Prófugum iustum dedúxit Sapiéntia and refers to the divinity of the child with exeteras: that Joseph did not so much take the child to Egypt but followed him.  3. Cónsecrat means here ‘to put in God’s presence’;

O Joseph, the heavenly hosts celebrate you, and all the choirs of Christendom resound the praise, you who with merits bright are joined in a chaste bound with the glorious Virgin. When you were amazed at your wife pregnant with her loving child, anxiously you were seized by doubt, an angel told you that the child was conceived by the breath of the heavenly Spirit.  You took the newborn Lord that you might follow him on the journey to the far-off land of Egypt; you searched for and found him, when he was lost in Jerusalem, your joy mingled with weeping.  A holy death consecrates other chosen men and glory and palms of victory greet the deserving; but you living had a more blessed and wondrous lot, you were here with God like those in heaven. Highest Trinity, grant to us by the merits of Joseph to reach the stars that at last we may sing forever to you a canticle of thanks. Amen.

Ad Officium lectionis

Iste, quem læti cólimus, fidéles,

cuius excélsos cánimus triúmphos,

hac die Ioseph méruit perénnis

  gáudia vitæ.

O nimis felix, nimis o beátus,

cuius extrémam vígiles ad horam

Christus et Virgo simul astitérunt

  ore seréno.

Iustus insígnis, láqueo solútus (1)

carnis, ad sedes plácido sopóre

migrat ætérnas, rutilísque cingit

  témpora sertis.

Ergo regnántem flagitémus omnes,

adsit ut nobis, veniámque nostris

óbtinens culpis, tríbuat supérnæ

  múnera pacis.

Sint tibi plausus, tibi sint honóres,

trine qui regnas Deus, et corónas

áureas servo tríbuis fidéli

  omne per ævum. Amen.

1.       This line formerly read hinc stygis victor, laqueo solutus: ‘triumphant over hell’ – changed perhaps because the original was ‘mythological’ or said too much.

Joseph, whom we, the faithful, joyfully praise for his great triumphs, today was worthy of the joys of eternal life. O how happy, O how blessed, was he who at his last hour had Christ and the Virgin with peaceful countenance standing by and keeping watch. Great in justice, freed from the snare of the body, calmly and in repose he departs this world for his heavenly home, crowned with brilliant garlands. Therefore let us all implore him now ruling above that he be with us, obtain pardon for our sins, and grant us the gifts of heavenly peace. To you be praise, to you honors, O Triune God, who rules and grants a golden crown to your faithful servant, throughout the ages. Amen.

Ad Laudes matutinas

Cælitum, Ioseph, decus atque nostræ

certa spes vitæ columénque mundi, (1)

quas tibi læti cánimus, benígnus

  súscipe laudes.

Te, satum David, státuit Creátor (2)

Vírginis sponsum, voluítque Verbi

te patrem dici, dedit et minístrum

  esse salútis.

Tu Redemptórem stábulo iacéntem,

quem chorus vatum cécinit futúrum,

áspicis gaudens, sociúsque matris (3)

  primus adóras.

Rex Deus regum, dominátor orbis,

cuius ad nutum tremit inferórum

turba, cui pronus famulátur æther,

  se tibi subdit.

Laus sit excélsæ Tríadi perénnis,

quæ, tibi insígnes tríbuens honóres, (4)

det tuis nobis méritis beátæ

  gáudia vitæ. Amen.

1.       columénque mundi: ‘column or pillar’ in the sense that St. Joseph is the patron of the universal church;  2. Originally: te sator rerum statuit pudicae: ‘the Creator of the world appointed you the pure Virgin’s husband’;  3. Original: aspicis gaudens humilisque natum/numen adoras: ‘rejoicing you saw him and humbly the infant God’. 4. Formerly praebens rather than insignes;

O Joseph, the honor of those in heaven and our sure hope of life and the support of the world, kindly receive  the praises we sing joyfully sing to you. The Creator appointed you, offspring of David, as husband of the Virgin, and willed that you be called the father of the Word, and made you a minister of salvation. You rejoicing looked upon the Redeemer, whom the choir of prophets sang as the one to come, laid in the stable, and with his Mother first adored. God, the King of kings, Ruler of the world, at whose word the crowd of hell trembles, whom heaven humbly serves, submits himself to you. Eternal praise be to the most high Trinity, that gives to you great honors and give to us through your merits the joys of a blessed life. Amen.