The Legend of the St. Joseph Lily 4th century
"Gospel of Mary"
AUTHOR unknown
Chapter 5:1-17 and 6:1-7
Chapter 5
1
As Mary, the Virgin of the Lord, grew older, she also increased in holiness, and the
Lord took care of her.
2
Every day she spoke with angels as she received these heavenly visitors. These guardian
angels protected her from all sorts of evil and helped her do good deeds.
3
By the age of 14, everyone admired her conduct and conversation, for no one could accuse
her of any wrong doing.
4
At that time the high-priest ordered that all the virgins growing up in the temple
should return home, now properly mature for marriage.
5
All of them, but Mary, readily obeyed the high-priest. She said she could not,
6
because she and her parents had dedicated her to the service of the Lord; and besides,
she had vowed virginity to the Lord, meaning that she would never marry.
7
The high-priest intervened in this situation.
8
He did not want to dissolve her vow and disobey Scripture,
9
nor start a new custom that would permit her not to marry.
10
For the feast he sought the advice of all the leading people of Jerusalem and the
neighboring villages on how best to proceed in this difficult case.
11
At the meeting they unanimously agreed to seek the Lord and pray over the matter.
12
As the group prayed, the high-priest, according to the usual fashion, went to consult
God.
13
Immediately there was a voice from the ark and the mercy seat which everyone heard. The
voice said, "Search the prophecy of Isaiah to find out to whom the Virgin should be
given and be betrothed."
14
Isaiah says: "There shall come forth a 'scion shoot', a 'rod' out of the stump of
Jesse, and a flower shall appear,
15
and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding,
the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and the Spirit of Fear
of the Lord and all these shall fill him."
16
Accordingly, the high-priest decreed that all the men of the house and family of David
of marriageable age should bring their 'favorite walking stick', 'rod' to the altar.
17
A bud shall come forth and bloom from one of the sticks, and the Spirit of the Lord will
sit in the form of a dove. The owner of this stick will be the one to whom the Virgin
should be given.
Chapter 6
1
In that group there was a man named Joseph, an older man. He did want to participate.
2
When nothing happened the high-priest prayed to God again.
3
God answered that the missing 'rod', the one belonging to Joseph, was the one.
4-5
When Joseph's was brought to the altar, a dove from heaven perched on the top of it.
Everyone plainly saw that the Virgin was to be betrothed to him.
6
After the betrothing ceremonies were over Joseph returned to his own city of Bethlehem,
to set his house in order, and make the necessary provisions for the marriage.
7
But the Virgin of the Lord, Mary, with seven other virgins of her same age accompanied
her to her parents' home in Galilee.
Wording redacted loosely from an 1820 English translation from the
Latin.
