The Conception & Sanctification of St. Joseph

Posted in: St. Joseph

Before I formed thee in the bowels of thy mother, I knew thee: and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee (Jeremiah 1:5 DRV).

Through the Servant of God, Mother Cecilia Baij, whose writings have been acclaimed for centuries, the circumstances of St. Joseph’s conception and birth are known. These events mirror those of the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5) and St. John the Baptist (Luke 1:5-19, 41-44) who were sanctified in the womb, and were blessings to their families. They were freed from the stain of original sin by the grace of God after their conception, not to be confused with the Immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 18 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, as sorrowful as it was for them, in order that … … Joseph 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. 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 19 call his name ‘Joseph’ and he will be great in the sight of God (C. Baij, 1997, pg. 2)!” In the seventeenth century, the Spanish mystic Maria de Agreda (1602-1665) was also given heavenly insights into the life of St. Joseph.
Her writings have been beloved throughout the centuries by Popes and theologians, and she has since been declared Venerable by the Church and is now on the path to beatification. She too was shown that St. Joseph’s conception was miraculous: Joseph was to be a miracle of holiness. This marvelous holiness commenced with the formation of his body in the womb of his mother. In this the providence of God Himself intervened, regulating the composition of his body with extreme nicety of proportion and securing for him that evenly tempered disposition which made his body a blessed fit for the abode of an exquisite soul and wellbalanced mind (Wisdom 8:19.) He was sanctified in the womb of his mother seven months after his conception, and the leaven of sin was destroyed in him for the whole course of life (M. Agreda, 1912, p. 163). St. Alphonsus de Liguori also believed that, for good reason, St. Joseph was sanctified in his mother’s womb: When God, destines anyone for a particular office, He gives him the graces that fit him for it. Among those granted, Joseph had three which were special to him. Firstly, that he was sanctified in his mother’s womb, as were Jeremias and St. John the Baptist. Secondly, that he was at the same time confirmed in grace. And thirdly, that he was always exempt from 20 the inclinations of concupiscence (A. Liguori, 1962, pg. 5).