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St. Joseph, the Foster Father of Jesus
St. Joseph, as the foster father of Jesus, played a major role in the life of Jesus but this is rarely mentioned in the Gospels, in fact only two of the gospel writers mention St. Joseph and the roles he plays. There is very little factual information available about his life, even in the Gospels. St. Joseph is never described; he never speaks; we only know that God saw him as a just man.
The obscurity of his life hides a great and holy mystery. With his immeasurable faith and love he effaced himself completely in the service of Christ and the Blessed Virgin. His life was to live for them; he chose no other goal. This was the office that God assigned to him, and though it was hidden from men's eyes it was of the highest dignity and importance. For he was entrusted with the care of God's beloved maiden Mary and was to stand in the place of father to God's own Son. Did anyone ever have such a privilege before or since?
Just as St. Joseph served as the guardian of Jesus during his formative years, he now serves as the guardian and patron of the Universal Church. Because of the belief that at the hour of his death he was consoled by Jesus and Mary, he is also invoked for the grace of a happy death.
May 1, the feast day of St. Joseph, is celebrated in a special way to remind us of his patronage of workers. This feast reminds all of the dignity achieved by honest labor and seeks to remind us all of the importance to give just compensation to all laborers. This feast was established in 1955 by Pope Pius XII, supposedly in response to the Communists emphasis on laborers, to remind the world of the dignity of labor and those who perform it. Although the threat of Communism has lessened we still need to be reminded of the importance of labor and recognize the need for just compensation for work done. This feast has become the traditional day to have tools of labor, both large and small, blessed.
The spirit flows to you and to all men from the heart of the God-man, Savior of the world, but certainly, no worker was ever more completely and profoundly penetrated by it than the foster father of Jesus, who lived with Him in closest intimacy and community of family life and work. Thus, if you wish to be close to Christ, we again today repeat, "Go to Joseph" (Gn 41:44)
(Pope Pius XII)
Thirty Days’ Prayer to St. Joseph For Any Special Intention:
In Honor Of The 30 Years He Spent With Jesus And Mary
Ever blessed and glorious Joseph, kind and loving father, and helpful friend of all in sorrow! You arc the good father and protector of orphans, the defender of the defenseless, the patron of those in need and sorrow. Look kindly on my request. My sins have drawn down on me the just displeasure of my God, and so I am surrounded with unhappiness. To you, loving guardian of the Family of Nazareth, do I go for help and protection.
Listen, then, I beg you, with fatherly concern, to my earnest prayers, and obtain for me the favors I ask.
I ask it by the infinite mercy of the eternal Son of God, which moved Him to take our nature and to be born into this world of sorrow.
I ask it by the weariness and suffering you endured when you found no shelter at the inn of Bethlehem for the holy Virgin, nor a house where the Son of God could be born. Then, being everywhere refused, you had to allow the Queen of Heaven to give birth to the world’s Redeemer in a cave.
I ask it by the loveliness and power of that sacred Name, Jesus which you conferred on the adorable Infant.
I ask it by that painful torture you felt at the prophecy of holy Simeon, which declared the Child Jesus and His holy Mother future victims of our sins and of their great love for us.
I ask it through your sorrow and pain of soul when the angel declared to you that the life of the Child Jesus was sought by His enemies. From their evil plan you had to flee with Him and His Blessed Mother to Egypt. I ask it by all the suffering, weariness, and labors of that long and dangerous journey.
I ask it by all your care to protect the Sacred Child and His Immaculate Mother during your second journey, when you were ordered to return to your own country. I ask it by your peaceful life in Nazareth where you met with so many joys and sorrows.
I ask it by your great distress when the adorable Child was lost to you and His Mother for three days. I ask it by your joy at finding Him in the Temple, and by the comfort you found at Nazareth, while living in the company of the Child Jesus. I ask it by the wonderful submission He showed in His obedience to you.
I ask it by the perfect love and conformity you showed in accepting the Divine order to depart from this life, and from the company of Jesus and Mary. I ask it by the joy which filled your soul, when the Redeemer of the world, triumphant over death and hell, entered into the possession of His kingdom and led you into it with special honors.
I ask it through Mary’s glorious Assumption, and through that endless happiness you have with her in the presence of God.
O good father! I beg you, by all your sufferings, sorrows, and joys, to hear me and obtain for me what I ask. (Here name your petitions or think of them.)
Obtain for all those who have asked my prayers everything that is useful to them in the plan of God. Finally, my dear patron and father, be with inc and all who are dear to me in our last moments, that we may eternally sing the praises of JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH
"A blameless life, St. Joseph, may we lead, by your kind patronage from danger freed."
(This prayer may be said during any 30 days of the year.)
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Jesus'Light-DivineMercy -- HailMary-HolyQueen -- CommunionOfSaints -- TruthOfCatholicChristianity -- CatholicRenaissance |
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Christian Culture Reformation -- The Catholic Pacific Northwest -- Personal Devotion - Mystagogy -- Catholic Pacific Northwest Home |
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The Catholic Pacific Northwest, A Traditionally Conservative Catholic Web Page. |
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Created:
4/22/2000
Modified: 9/5/2000