Today, the feast of St. Joseph, is ‘father’s day” in our home. We honor St. Joseph and give thanks for our earthly father, husband, and papa.
We attended a High Mass in honor of the spouse of the Virgin Mary. Dad gets dictate the plans for the day.
We pray to grow in devotion to Saint Joseph, just as St. Teresa of Avila prescribes.
Jesus and Mary had a special devotion to St. Joseph – we can do no better than Mary & Jesus. ~ Fr. L, Sermon March 19, 2011
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The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus
The Great Debt She Owed to Our Lord for His Mercy to Her. She Takes St. Joseph for Her Patron.
I took for my patron and lord the glorious St. Joseph, and recommended myself earnestly to him. I saw clearly that both out of this my present trouble, and out of others of greater importance, relating to my honour and the loss of my soul, this my father and lord delivered me, and rendered me greater services than I knew how to ask for. I cannot call to mind that I have ever asked him at any time for anything which he has not granted; and I am filled with amazement when I consider the great favours which God hath given me through this blessed Saint; the dangers from which he hath delivered me, both of body and of soul. To other Saints, our Lord seems to have given grace to succour men in some special necessity; but to this glorious Saint, I know by experience, to help us in all: and our Lord would have us understand that as He was Himself subject to him upon earth—for St. Joseph having the title of father, and being His guardian, could command Him—so now in heaven He performs all his petitions. I have asked others to recommend themselves to St. Joseph, and they too know this by experience; and 37 there are many who are now of late devout to him, having had experience of this truth. ~ Chapter 6 (9)
Would that I could persuade all men to be devout to this glorious Saint; for I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God. I have never known any one who was really devout to him, and who honoured him by particular services, who did not visibly grow more and more in virtue; for he helps in a special way those souls who commend themselves to him. It is now some years since I have always on his feast asked him for something, and I always have it. If the petition be in any way amiss, he directs it aright for my greater good. ~ Chapter 6 (11)
I ask, for the love of God, that he who does not believe me will make the trial for himself—when he will see by experience the great good that results from commending oneself to this glorious patriarch, and being devout to him. Those who give themselves to prayer should in a special manner have always a devotion to St. Joseph; for I know not how any man can think of the Queen of the angels, during the time that she suffered so much with the Infant Jesus, without giving thanks to St. Joseph for the services he rendered them then. He who cannot find any one to teach him how to pray, let him take this glorious Saint for his master, and he will not wander out of the way. ~ Chapter 6 (12)
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PRAYER FOR ST. JOSEPH’S INTERCESSION
O God, who in your unspeakable providence chose blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother, grant, we beseech you, that we may deserve to have him as our intercessor in Heaven, whom we venerate on earth as our protector. Who lives and reigns world without end.
Amen.
(MP, p. 212; derived from the Collect of the Votive Mass of St. Joseph from the Roman Missal)
ORATIO AD SANCTUM IOSEPH
Deus, Qui ineffabile providentia
beatum Joseph sanctissimae Genitricis Filii tui sponsum
eligere dignatus es,
praesta, quaesumus,
ut quem protectorem veneramur in terris,
intercessorem habere mereamur in caelis.
Amen.
