PAPA NOVENA TO SAINT JOSEPH
DAY 01
OPENING PRAYER
O Saint Joseph dear,
Protector be near.
I devote myself
To your loving care.
Nothing do I have
As worthy a gift
But only myself:
I give you my life,
My eyes and my heart,
My ears and my lips,
My soul and my mind,
All I am and own.
From now on till death,
Take it for yourself.
O Holy Joseph,
You took the Virgin,
Mary and her Son,
the Unborn Jesus,
the Eternal Word,
Savior of the World,
Into your own home.
Take me in as well.
Let me stay and dwell
In your family
As your child and serf
To the Eucharist.
O Most Chaste Joseph,
You did guard, protect
The Sacred pur'ty
For our Blest Lady;
The Holy Silence
For Her Son, Jesus.
Do protect and guard
My soul in silence
My heart in stillness
My mind in meekness
My body in cleanness.
Make me so zealous
Loving inner life
Living pure and chaste
That I only gaze
His Most Holy Face
Your own Son, Jesus.
Dear Father Joseph,
Terror of Demons,
On hearing your name,
They tremble in shame,
Running to escape!
Save me from their traps
All their temptations,
All their wiles and tricks.
Let me not upset
Jesus, your own Son,
Mary, ever bless'd.
Help me to fulfill
The will of the Lord
In humble service.
In meekness, you did.
O Saint Joseph dear,
Protector be near
My hour of death,
Help me breathe my last
Calling out the Name
Jesus Christ, my Lord
My Savior, My God. Amen.
Man of God: Fear of the Lord
"Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly." – (Matthew 1:18-19)
Case in point: Joseph was "unwilling to expose" Mary to shame! Why? Being judged by one person is hard enough. We do this to ourselves all the time. But being exposed to the Law, the lawyers and public opinions means certain guilt or even death. This specifically applies in the case of Mary.
For Joseph something is more than meets the eyes; he knows in his heart of heart that Mary and her unborn Baby are pure and innocent but he couldn't comprehend how. So the better path to take is to refrain from condemning and let God be the judge. In fear of God Joseph allows the Lord to have the final word.
What does that mean to you?
Your reflection...
Stop! Stay still for six seconds. Take a deep breath... say slowly:
JE-SUS....
The Saints on St. Joseph
On his faith and fear
“According to St. Jerome and Origen, Joseph had no suspicion of adultery because he knew the modesty and chastity of Mary. Moreover, he had read in Scripture that the virgin would conceive and that ‘a shoot shall sprout from the stock of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom’. He knew also that Mary was descended from the line of David. Thus it was easier for him to believe that Isaiah’s prophecy had been accomplished in her than to think that she could have let herself descend into debauchery. This is why, considering himself unworthy to live with a person of such great sanctity, he wanted to send her away secretly—like when Peter says to Jesus, ‘Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!'” ~ St. Thomas Aquinas
On the just man
Joseph was an ordinary sort of man on whom God relied to do great things. He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do, in each and every event that went to make up his life. That is why Scripture praises Joseph as ‘a just man’. And in Hebrew a just man means a good and faithful servant of God, someone who fulfills the divine will, or who is honorable and charitable toward his neighbor.” ~ St. Josemaria Escriva
On being holy
“He is Holy Joseph, because according to the opinion of a great number of doctors, he, as well as St. John Baptist, was sanctified even before he was born. He is Holy Joseph, because his office, of being spouse and protector of Mary, specially demanded sanctity. He is Holy Joseph, because no other Saint but he lived in such and so long intimacy and familiarity with the source of all holiness, Jesus, God incarnate, and Mary, the holiest of creatures.” ~ St. John Henry Newman
Our Father...
St. Joseph: Man of God.
Teach us to fear the Lord (3x)
