Marvels of St JOSEPH (2)

St Joseph, a Guide on the Road.

A pious lay-Brother of the great Benedictine monastery of Montserrat in Spain, had the custom of venerating with particular devotion the mystery of the Flight into Egypt. His heart especially grieved at all St Joseph had to suffer, when he had to fly in such great poverty and haste, with Jesus and Mary, into a strange and idolatrous country.

It once happened that this Brother had to return to his monastery from a great distance. Already the shadows of evening were falling, it began to grow dark, and the monastery was still far off. Suddenly he perceived that he had lost his way, and he feared that he should have to spend the night in the open air, surrounded by dangerous precipices; and it was the more sad as, to the dangers of the mountains, was added the fear of the wild beasts, which he knew infested those parts.

All the sudden, whilst he was full of those anxious thoughts, he saw not far off a man, who led a donkey by a bridle. Seated on its back was a lady of exceedingly great beauty, with a most noble and majestic appearance. In her arms rested a little sleeping child. The brother hastened forward to mee the stranger in order to ask him to direct him in the right way. But his joy at this sight increased still more, and was mixed with sweet consolation, as the unknown man bade him follow him, and promised to guide him to the monastery.

Whilst they pursued their way, conversations of wonderful unction refreshed the heart of the Brother; but scarcely was the monastery gate in view, then suddenly the guide and his family disappeared from before his eyes, and nowhere was the least trace of them to be discovered.

But in the heart of the Brother awoke the joyful conviction that St Joseph himself had been his guide, and that he had rewarded in this manner his devotion to his sorrow, in the mystery of the Flight into Egypt.