Choose a topic from Part 3a:
1. Scripture says (Luke 1:27) that the angel Gabriel wassent to "a virgin espoused to a man named Joseph." It issuitable that Christ was born of an espoused virgin, and this forhis own sake, for Mary's sake, and for our sake. (a) Forhis own sake: lest he be thought illegitimate; so that hisgenealogy might be traced through a male line; so that, as anewborn child, he might have a proper protector; so that hismiraculous birth might be hidden from the devil. (b) ForMary's sake: lest she be stoned as an adulteress; lest shebe subjected to ill fame; so that she might have the loving andholy aid of St. Joseph. (c) For our sake: because St.Joseph bears witness to us that Christ is born of a virgin; becauseMary's claim to virginity is at once rendered credible (for, ifshe were unespoused, it might seem that her claim was to coversin); because Mary typifies the virginal Church which is espousedto Christ.
2. The espousals of Mary and Joseph constituted a truemarriage. The essence of a marriage is an inseparable union ofsouls, even if this union is never brought to carnal use orfruitfulness. Scripture calls St. Joseph the husband of Mary, andcalls Mary the wife of Joseph (Matt. 1:19, 20). Therefore, Mary andJoseph were truly man and wife; they were truly married.
"It is vanity to be concerned with the present only and not to make provision for things to come."
Thomas á Kempis
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"Shun too great a desire for knowledge, for in it there is much fretting and delusion. Intellectuals like to appear learned and to be called wise. Yet there are many things the knowledge of which does little or no good to the soul, and he who concerns himself about other things than those which lead to salvation is very unwise.
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Thomas á Kempis
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"A single act of uniformity with the divine will suffices to make a saint."
St Alphonsus de Liguori
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