Novena to St. Joseph
The Novena to St. Joseph starts March 10 if you desire to pray it in union with his feastday on March 19.
Novena to St. Joseph
March 10-18
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V. In the Name ✠ of the Father…
R. Amen..
V. O glorious and powerful St. Joseph,
R. Thou art the faithful protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate thee. * Thou knowest that I have confidence in thee * and that, after Jesus (☨) and Mary, * I come to thee as an example for holiness, * for thou art especially close with God. * Therefore, I humbly commend myself, with all who are dear to me and all that belong to me, * to thy intercession. * I beg of thee, by thy love for Jesus (☨) and Mary, * not to abandon me during life * and to assist me at the hour of my death.
V. O glorious St. Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin,
R. Pray for me * to have a pure, humble, charitable mind, * and perfect resignation to the divine Will. * Be thou my guide, my father, and my model through life * that I may die as thou didst * in the arms of Jesus (☨) and Mary.
V. O loving St. Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ (☨),
R. I raise my heart to thee * to implore thy powerful intercession in obtaining from the Divine Heart of Jesus (☨) * all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare, * particularly the grace of a happy death, * and the special graces I now implore:
(Mention Your Intentions)
V. O Guardian of the Word Incarnate,
R. We have confidence that thy prayers on our behalf * will be graciously heard before the throne of God. Amen.
The St. Joseph Memorare
V. Remember, O most pure Spouse of the ever Virgin Mary,
R. St. Joseph, my beloved patron, * that never has it been heard * that anyone invoked thy patronage * and sought thine aid without being comforted. * Inspired by this confidence, I come to thee * and fervently commend myself to thee. * Ah, despise not my petition, dear Foster Father of our Redeemer, * but graciously accept it. * Amen.
Then say the following seven times in honor of the seven sorrows and joys of St. Joseph
V. O Glorious St. Joseph! Through thy love for Jesus Christ (☨) and for the glory of His Name,
R. Hear our prayers and obtain our petitions.
V. Jesus (☨), Mary and Joseph,
R. Assist us!
V. In the Name ✠ of the Father…
R. Amen.
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RESOURCES:
Daily Devotions to St. Joseph by St. Alphonsus Liguori
31 Day Novena to St. Joseph using Daily Devotions by St. Alphonsus Liguori
Prayer to St. Joseph for sanctification of labor
We offer the following prayer to St. Joseph for sanctification of labor. The prayer was composed by Pope St. Pius X.
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Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously by placing love of duty above my inclinations; to gratefully and joyously deem it an honor to employ and to develop by labor the gifts I have received from God, to work methodically, peacefully, and in moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from it through weariness or difficulty; to work above all, with purity of intention and unselfishness, having unceasingly before my eyes death and the account I have to render of time lost, talents unused, good not done, and vain complacency in success, so baneful to the work of God.
All for Jesus, all for Mary, all to imitate thee, O patriarch St. Joseph! This shall be my motto for life and eternity.
Amen.
Are you a courageous soul?
Have you ever lost a child?
We had a major scare just a few months back. I’m not sure if I’ll ever share the story publicly. But I will say this, it makes meditating on the Fifth Joyful Mystery (Finding of Jesus in Temple) more intimate for me in a way that that I never imagined.
I’m drawn deeper into the possibility that I must fully embrace the cross, even if it is to lose one of my children as they seek the will of God. I can’t ever imagine being fully prepared for that moment (again) but I will pray for that grace and wisdom to know when to fully let go.
I seek the guidance of St. Joseph, Our Blessed Mother, holy men & women who share profound truth, and the saints.
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet is one of those holy men. He speaks to St. Joseph’s worry when Jesus was lost in the temple:
“Another strange trial. As if it were not enough for men to torment Joseph, Jesus Himself became his persecutor. He cleverly slipped through his fingers and remained lost for three days.
What have you done, faithful Joseph? What has become of the sacred treasure the heavenly Father entrusted to you? If you have not yet understood Joseph’s fatherhood, see his suffering now and understand that he is a father. His regret proves it, and Mary was right to say: “Your father and I have sought You with great sorrow.” O my Son, she said to the Savior, I do not fear to call him Your father here, and I know this does not injure the purity of Your birth. We are speaking of cares and worries; that is why I can say he is Your father: because his worries are truly paternal.
See with what suffering Jesus tries fidelity, and how He wishes to be only with those who suffer. He seeks out the strong and courageous souls who do not refuse to carry His cross, who do not blush to be the companions of His poverty and misery.”
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
Pope Leo XIII offers us a glorious prayer, To thee, O Blessed Joseph:
To thee, O blessed Joseph, do we come in our tribulation, and having implored the help of thy most holy Spouse, we confidently invoke thy patronage also. Through that charity which bound thee to the immaculate Virgin Mother of God and through the paternal love with which thou embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg thee to graciously regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by his Blood, and with thy power and strength to aid us in our necessities.
O most watchful Guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ; O most loving father, ward off from us every contagion of error and corrupting influence; O our most mighty protector, be propitious to us and from heaven assist us in our struggle with the power of darkness; and, as once thou rescued the Child Jesus from deadly peril, so now protect God’s Holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity; shield, too, each one of us by thy constant protection, so that, supported by thy example and thy aid, we may be able to live piously, to die holy, and to obtain eternal happiness in heaven. Amen.
From the Raccolta #476 & Enchridion #6
St. Joseph: Model of the Hidden Life
We are seeking to increase our devotion to St. Joseph this year along with all of our patron saints for the year.
May we follow the example of St. Joseph in leading a hidden life in God.
Follow the Example of St. Joseph by Leading a Hidden Life in God
The diversity of vocations tends to teach the children of God this truth, that all Christian perfection consists only in submission.
He who glorifies the apostles with the honor of preaching glorifies St. Joseph with the humility of silence; we should learn from this that the glory of Christians is not brilliant works but in doing what God wants.
While all cannot have the honor of preaching Jesus Christ, all can have the honor of obeying Him; and that is the glory of St. Joseph.
Do not ask what St. Joseph did in his hidden life; it is impossible for me to tell you.
Ordinarily, the life of sinners causes more talk than that of the just, for it is greed and passion that make things move in the world.
The just man does nothing for the eyes of men because he does all for the eyes of God. That is how the just St. Joseph lived.
He saw Jesus Christ; he savored Him and said nothing; he contented himself with God alone. He fulfilled his vocation.
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, First Panegyric of St. Joseph
The Reward for a Hidden Life with Jesus, Mary and Joseph
When Jesus appears in majesty, then will it be time to appear. O how beautiful will it be to appear on that day, when Jesus will praise us before His holy angels, in the face of the entire universe and before His heavenly Father!
What night, what obscurity could last long enough to make us deserve this glory?
Let men be eternally silent about us, so long as Jesus Christ speaks of us on that day.
But let us fear, Christians, these terrible words He pronounced in His Gospel: “You have received your reward” (Mt. 6:2). You wanted the glory of men, you have had it; you have been paid, there is nothing more to expect. O ingenious envy of our enemy, who gives us men’s eyes in order to take God’s from us; who with a malicious justice offers to reward our virtues so that God will not reward them!
Miserable creature, I want none of your glory. I shall wait to receive my crown from a far dearer hand and my reward from a far more powerful arm. When Jesus appears in His majesty, then do I wish to appear.
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, First Panegyric of St. Joseph
