Comments of pieces by Dom Baron

After Our Lady, St. Joseph is of all the saints pre-eminent in the order of holiness. It is not from his exterior works that this can be deduced, but from the role to which he was predestined. When God chooses someone, He gives His elect what he needs, and what He gives is all the more precious as the vocation is loftier. Now, Our Lady excepted, no one has been called to a higher mission than St. Joseph:

spouse of the mother of Christ; witness of her virginity and guardian of her honour; foster father and legal father of the Son of God, whom he has the honour to receive in his home, and whom he has the duty to bring up, by educating him in experimental knowledge and the things useful for life. One can surmise from afar of what natural and supernatural qualities he stood in need.

St. Joseph was a saint of the hidden life. After the incidents of the Nativity, nothing more is known of him. He disappears, so much so that the Church does not begin to celebrate him until quite late. It was only in the 10th century that he is found mentioned in the martyrologies, and his feast in the West only dates from the 15th century. Today, on the contrary, he has two feast days.

Introït

"The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus: planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God."

The melody is one of the most contemplative. From the first to the last note, the tone is one of recollection. This effect is obtained by a succession of tristropha, bivirga, and pressus; observe how the melody follows the text on sicut cedrus Libani; it lifts in a graceful ascent.

Gradual

"Lord, Thou hast prevented him with blessings of sweetness: Thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones. He asked life of Thee, and Thou hast given him length of days for ever and ever."

Tract

"Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the righteous shall be blessed. Glory and wealth shall be in his house: and his justice remaineth for ever and ever."

The application of this praise of the just to St. Joseph occurs spontaneously. He is indeed one of those who have practised docility to the Divine will with an absolute suppleness and in that spirit of filial piety which is holy fear at its highest degree of perfection. The melody follows the common formula for tracts of the 8th mode, without particular emphasis; however, it is worth observing that the word ejus always coincides with the principal motifs.

Offertory

"My truth and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted."

In the psalm, this verse refers to David. Once more God assures him of His fidelity - this is the meaning of veritas - in addition to His mercy.

The melody of the first phrase reveals a very marked assurance which gives these words of promise all the weight of their expression. The second phrase is imbued with an exultant joy, the promise of glory; hence the more animated movement that builds into the ardent rise on cornu ejus.

Communion

"Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is born in her is of the Holy Ghost."