SAINT JOSEPH DAY AND CISTERCIANS

Gregory offers the following interpretations:
Holy Church yearning for the coming of the Incarnate Son (“Let him kiss me…”), and suddenly becoming aware of His presence through his sublime teachings (“better than wine”) and his mighty works which have imparted spiritual gifts to all the saints (“the odor of your ointments”).
Our Lord’s interior presence in each soul (“Let him kiss me…) which imparts sublime wisdom as compared with worldly wisdom (“better than wine”) and authentic virtue rooted in Christ (the odor surpassing all perfumes), as compared with the sinner’s effort to appear virtuous.
The compunction of the soul when it truly draws close to God (“Let him kiss me…”) instead of having only an abstract interest, leading to a contemplative enjoyment of God (“better than wine”) or perhaps an appropriation of the spiritual riches of the Church (“better than wine”), in anticipation of the even greater delight to come in heaven (which “surpasses all perfumes”).
Gregory wrote the equivalent of about seven modern pages explaining these three interpretations of a mere verse and a half. All of his exegesis draws deeply on other passages from Scripture, which he uses to illuminate the text in question.
In the centuries following Gregory, allegorical interpretations of the Song flourished (including the addition of interpretations relating to the Blessed Virgin). These reached their peak in the famous work of St. Bernard of Clairvaux and other Cistercians in the twelfth century. Bernard, widely regarded as the most brilliant and capable man of his time, gave entire homilies to his monks on each passage of the Song—eighty-six sermons in all, which still make wonderful spiritual reading.
But St. Bernard managed to work through only to the first verse of chapter 3 before his death in 1153. Subsequently, Abbot Gilbert of Hoyland wrote forty-eight more sermons, carrying the work through the tenth verse of chapter 5, before he died in 1172. And finally Abbot John Ford wrote another 120 sermons, completing the cycle before he died in 1214. Still, given the manuscript history for St. Gregory, St. Bernard remains the best single source for spiritual reading.

All of this and more is unveiled in a superb introduction to and presentation of the texts by Mark DelCogliano, including new translations of the works I have mentioned by Gregory, Paterius, Bede and William of St. Thierry. Entitled Gregory the Great On the Song of Songs, this impressive study is newly published by Cistercian Publications. Note, however, that this is not designed as spiritual reading; rather, it is a work of outstanding scholarship with substantial spiritual benefits. For those with special interest, then, it earns my highest recommendation.
For spiritual reading, a four-volume collection of St. Bernard's sermons is also available from Cistercian Publications, but I have included a link below to an affordable selection of Bernard’s works which includes a good sampling of his Song homilies.

SAINT JOSEPH
The darkest hours of his life may well have been those when he first learned of Mary's pregnancy; but precisely in this time of trial Joseph showed himself great.
His suffering, which likewise formed a part of the work of the redemption, was not without great providential import:
Joseph was to be, for all times, the trustworthy witness of the Messiah's virgin birth. After this, he modestly retires into the background of holy Scripture.
Of St. Joseph's death the Bible tells us nothing. There are indications, however, that he died before the beginning of Christ's public life. His was the most beautiful death that one could have, in the arms of Jesus and Mary.
Humbly and unknown, he passed his years at Nazareth, silent and almost forgotten
And he remained in the background through centuries of Church history. Only in more recent times has he been accorded greater honor.
Liturgical veneration of St. Joseph began in the fifteenth century, fostered by Sts. Brigid of Sweden and Bernadine of Siena. St. Teresa, too, did much to further his cult.
At present there are two major feasts in his honor. On March 19 our veneration is directed to him personally and to his part in the work of redemption, while on May 1 we honor him as the patron of workmen throughout the world and as our guide in the difficult matter of establishing equitable norms regarding obligations and rights in the social order.

—Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

St. Joseph is invoked as patron for many causes. He is the patron of the Universal Church. He is the patron of the dying because Jesus and Mary were at his death-bed. He is also the patron of fathers, of carpenters, and of social justice. Many religious orders and communities are placed under his patronage.
laborers; Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin;

SAINT BERNARD CISTERCIAN