Today is the Feast of St Joseph, and from the Gospel of Matthew we learn the ancestry of Christ, of how he came in to the world to save us.
"An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: 'Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She has conceived by the Holy Spirit, and now she will bear a son. You shall call him Jesus for he will save his people from their sins. All this happened in order to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and he will be called Emmanuel, which means: God with us."
Some powerful prayers to the Guardian of the Holy Family from one of my favourite prayer books, St Anthony's Treasury;
"O blessed St Joseph, whose life was passed in toil and prayer, obtain the grace I beseech you, to sanctify my work by purity of intention, by remembrance of God's presence and by frequent prayer. Teach me to be contented with my lot and if the temptation comes to me to envy those who are above me, or richer than myself, obtain for me the grace to despise it and remembering only your life of humble toil, to desire to imitate you in the company of Jesus and Mary. Amen."
Invocations for a happy death:
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and soul.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breath forth my soul in peace with you. Amen.
Some of the many virtuous titles given to St Joseph in his litany, include; obedient, faithful, chaste, prudent, mirror of patience, lover of poverty, hope of the sick. If I could manage to progress further in virtue in even a small way, with St Joseph as my model and intercessor, how much closer to God I would feel. I pray St Joseph can intercede for all who are struggling to maintain their Lenten promises of fasting, abstinence and alms. God have mercy on us. St Joseph, Spouse of the Mother of God, Foster Father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Blessed be God.
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