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Mar 15 – Homily – Fr Bonaventure: St Joseph – The Just Man

apostolate — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:30:38 +0000

Homily #080315 ( 26min) Play – There are several errors in the translation of today’s Gospel which need to be corrected. One of them is that the Virgin Mary was not “engaged” to St. Joseph! She was not an “unwed mother”!!! This is a blasphemy.?She was “betrothed” to St. Joseph and this cannot be correlated to our modern day engagement.
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Mar 15 – Homily – Fr Angelo: St. Joseph the Servant in Turmoil

apostolate — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 02:34:52 +0000

Homily #080315b ( 17min) Play – Mary was pregnant without explanation. St. Joseph was in turmoil because he was just and yet trusted in the Virtue of Mary. God who created the situation sends him an angel in a dream to take Mary as his wife. Fr. Angelo relates this to the turmoil in our life and how we must trust in God and Our Lady to enable us to be faithful servants.
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Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:00:00 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

August 21st:? Anniversary of Our Lady’s Apparition at Knock, Ireland

Vision of Peace

An intense love for the “ever Immaculate Mother of God” and her children suffering in purgatory – these were the two characteristics which strongly marked the deep piety of Venerable Archdeacon Cavanagh, Parish Priest of Knock at the time of the apparition.?? Several months before the apparition, Archdeacon Cavanagh found he could gratify his holy desire of saying one hundred Masses for the souls in purgatory whom our Blessed Mother most wished released. The great poverty of the people deprived him of the temporal help which other priests have from the celebration of the holy sacrifice for the intentions of the people. He made it known that he rejoiced to find he was free to follow his desire and to offer the adorable sacrifice for these holy souls in purgatory. On the morning of the twenty-first of August, 1879, this saintly priest, standing before the altar of Knock church, had the happiness of completing his incomparable gift of mercy in favor of the holy souls ?the last of the hundred Masses had been offered.???

^?In the evening twilight of that same day the exterior of the south gable-end of the church and some space around it were enveloped in a radiance not of earth. In the profoundest spaces of this light there was a vision which, in several of its features, has rightly been considered apocalyptic in character. The vision had a focal point of supreme significance: a Lamb, facing towards the other figures of the apparition, was standing on a full? sized altar. Behind the Lamb and away from him, a large cross stood erect on the altar. Triumphant over death and radiating the splendors of his glory, this Lamb clearly represented Jesus-the risen and glorious Lamb of God-who redeemed us by his sacrifice.

From the silent summits of contemplation that overlook the eternal city our Lady gazed with immortal rapture on the divine Lamb and she was so transformed in his beauty and gladdened by his presence that it seemed as if a fountain of joy had broken in her heart. She appeared as if completely, yet serenely, held by the wonder and glory of her vision which shone upon her in a revelation which eternity will never exhaust. She did not speak. The beauty of her vision had ravished every human attraction from her lips.? At Knock, Mary had freely willed her silence.

A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE APPARITION

At about 8 o’clock on Thursday evening the 21st August, 1879, Our Lady, Sr. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared at the South gable of the Church at Knock.

Our Lady wore a large white cloak, fastened at the neck. Her hands and eyes were raised towards heaven, in a posture of prayer. On her head was a brilliant crown and where the crown fitted the brow, was a beautiful rose.

On her right was St. Joseph, head bowed and turned slightly towards her as if paying her his respects. He wore white robes.

On Our Lady’s left was St. John the Evangelist, dressed as a bishop, with a book in his left hand and right hand raised as if preaching. His robes were also white.

Beside the figures and a little to the right in the centre of the gable was a large plain altar. On the altar stood a Lamb, facing the West and behind the Lamb a large cross stood upright. Angels hovered around the lamb for the duration of the Apparition.

?There were fifteen official witnesses to the Apparition which was enveloped in a heavenly light. They included men, women and children of various ages. They watched the apparition for two hours, in the pouring rain and recited the Rosary. It was so real that an old lady, Brigid Trench, went up to the gable and tried to kiss the feet of Our Lady.

NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF KNOCK

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen??

Give praise to the Father Almighty, To His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord,

To the Spirit who lives in our hearts, Both now and forever. Amen.

Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland, you gave hope to your people in a time of distress, and comforted them in sorrow. You have inspired countless pilgrims to pray with confidence to your divine Son, remembering His promise, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find.”

Help me to remember that we are all pilgrims on the road to heaven. Fill me with love and concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who live with me. Comfort me when I am sick, lonely or depressed. Teach me how to take part ever more reverently in the Holy Mass. Give me a greater love of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Pray for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen.

?Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world; Have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world; Have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world; Grant us peace.

?Help of Christians, pray for us.

ST. JOSEPH,

Chosen by God to be The Husband of Mary,

The Protector of the Holy Family,

The Guardian of the Church.

Protect all families

In their work and recreation

And Guard us on our journey through life.??

(Repeat – Lamb of God, etc.)

ST.JOHN,

Beloved Disciple of the Lord, Faithful priest.

Teacher of the Word of God.

Help us to hunger for the Word.

To be loyal to the Mass

And to love one another??

(Repeat – Lamb of God, etc.)??

Our Lady of Knock, pray for us.

Refuge of Sinners, pray for us.

Queen Assumed into Heaven, pray for us.

Queen of the Rosary, pray for us.

Mother of Nazareth, pray for us.

Queen of Virgins, pray for us.?

Health of the Sick, pray for us.

Queen of Peace, pray for us.

Our Lady, Queen and Mother, pray for us.

Our Lady, Mother of the Church, pray for us.

?(Here mention your own special intentions)??

With the Angels and Saints let us pray: Give praise to the Father Almighty, To His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord, To the Spirit who lives in our hearts, Both now and forever. Amen.

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Aug 23 – Special Homily – Fr Angelo: Annual Queenship Celebration

apostolate — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 21:16:49 +0000

Homily #080823s ( 17min) Play –

Fr. Angelo preaches for the Mass at our annual Queenship of Mary celebration which we do on the Saturday nearest the Queenship Feastday of Aug 22nd. It is a celebration of the establishment of the Franciscans in Griswold and has been the celebration of each step of the completion of our facilities here, including the Lourdes Grotto 1994, the Friary 2000, the Dedication of the Chapel 2001 and the dedication of St. Joseph’s Chapel 2003. Listen as Father explains the need for thanksgiving and for making Our Lady the Queen of our nation, culture and personal lives as the best expression of our Catholic Faith, for it is Our Lord who chose her as His Queen-Mother, and we should imitate Him.
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Sep 10 – Homily – Fr Bonaventure: The Beatitudes

apostolate — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:15:27 +0000

Homily #080910 ( 15min) Play – The meek and humble St. Joseph is the best example of the virtues needed to practice the Beatitudes.
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On the Mission of St. Joseph

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:00:11 +0000

Ave Maria Mediations

The Great Mission of St. Joseph

Joseph’s mission:

And Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary,

of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

Among the Jews, as among other peoples of nomadic origin, the genealogical tree was of vital importance. A person was known fundamentally of the clan or tribe to which he belonged rather than by the place where he lived. Among the Hebrews we have the added circumstances of belonging to the chosen people through ties of a person’s ancestry being traced through the male. Joseph, as the husband of Mary, was the legal father of Jesus and, as such, carried the duties of a true father. Joseph, like Mary, was of the house and family of David of whom would be born the Messiah.

It would also be Joseph’s responsibility to name the Word incarnate, in accordance with the instructions given him by the angel: You shall call his name Jesus.

God had foreseen that his Son would be born of the Virgin Mary, in a family just like any other, and that in her he would develop in his humanity. The life of Jesus had to be in this respect the same as that of other men. He was to be born defenseless, in need of a father who would protect him and teach him the things that all fathers should teach their sons. The essence and ultimate meaning of Joseph’s life had to lie in the fulfillment of his mission as Mary’s husband and as the father of Jesus. He was born into the world to act as the father of Jesus and to be Mary’s most chaste spouse, in the same way that every person who comes into the world has a specific vocation from God, in which is rooted the whole meaning of his life.

When the angel revealed to him the mystery of the virgin birth of Jesus, Joseph quietly accepted the vocation to which he was to remain faithful until death. St Joseph’s whole glory and happiness lay in his knowing how to understand what God wanted of him and in his having faithfully carried it out to the end.

Let us contemplate Joseph at the side of the Blessed Virgin, who is with child and soon to give birth to her only begotten Son. And let us resolve to spend the time of Christmas at St Joseph’s side, a place as unnoticed as it is privileged: How good Joseph is!

Joseph’s relations with Jesus:

Joseph, we read in a sermon of St Augustine, not only claims the name of father, but has a greater claim to it than any other. And then he adds: How was he a father? All the more effectively, the more chaste the paternity. Some thought that he was the father of our Lord Jesus Christ in the same way as other fathers, who beget sons of the flesh and do not receive them only as the fruit of a spiritual love. This is why St Luke says: ‘he was thought to be the father of Jesus.

St Joseph was deeply in love With Mary. He must have loved her so much and with such generosity of heart that, when he learned of her desire to preserve the consecration she had made to God, he agreed to marry her. He would rather renounce having children than live apart from the woman he loved. His was a pure, refined and deep love. It was full of respect with no hint of selfishness. God himself had definitively sealed their union with a new and even stronger bond, which was their joint earthly mission of bringing up the Messiah. And they had already been betrothed, which was why the angel had said: Do not be afraid to take Mary to be ‘your wife’.

What kind of relationship would Joseph have had with Jesus? Joseph loved Jesus as a father loves his son and showed his love by giving him the best he had. Joseph, caring for the child as he had been commanded, made Jesus a craftsman, transmitting his own skill to him. So the neighbors in Nazareth would call Jesus the son of the craftsman. Jesus worked in Joseph’s workshop and by Joseph’s side. What sort of man must Joseph have been, and how must grace have been active in him, that he was able to carry out the task of bringing up the Son of God?

For Jesus must have resembled Joseph: in his way of working, in the traits of his character and in his way of speaking. Jesus’ realism, his eye for detail, the way he sat at table and broke bread, his preference for using everyday situations in his teaching – all this reflects his childhood and the influence of Joseph.

We stay close to Joseph as we meditate on the approaching Nativity. He only asks us to be simple and humble in our contemplation of Mary and her son. There is no room for the proud in that little group in Bethlehem.

Go to Joseph, so that he may teach us to live side by side with Jesus and Mary:

Joseph is only a silent witness to the Holy Maternity. Joseph, full of admiration, unspeaking and respectful, contemplates the child and its mother. After Mary, he was the first person to see the Son of God made man. No one could have experienced more happiness than he when he took in his arms the Messiah, who in no visible way could be distinguished from any other child. Initially, Joseph’s participation in the mystery had come about through the knowledge given him by the angel’s revelation of the mission he was to carry out for these two exceptional people.

St Joseph was present later when the shepherds arrived. He saw them approach the cave, timid and curious, to see for themselves the ‘babe wrapped in swaddling clothes’. He heard them explain to Mary about the apparition of the heavenly messenger who had told them about the birth of the Savior in Bethlehem and about the sign by which they would recognize him, describing how a multitude of angels had gathered with this first herald envoy, glorifying God and promising peace on earth to men of good will … Joseph also contemplated the radiant happiness of the woman who was his wife, this marvelous lady who had been entrusted into his keeping. Enthralled by the way she gazed at her son, he saw her own unspeakable joy, her own overflowing love, her every gesture so full of exquisite tenderness and meaning.

If we stay close to Joseph during these few days between now and Christmas, he will help us to contemplate this tremendous mystery of which he was a silent witness and to gaze lovingly at Mary as she holds in her arms the Son of God made man.

From the very start Saint Joseph grasped the fact that his whole reason for living was this child, precisely because he was a child, and as such, in need of help and protection, as Mary was too, for God himself had commissioned him to take her into his home and give her protection.

How grateful Jesus would be for all the vigilance and attention that Joseph paid to Mary. That is why the Church has always paid him great tribute and been fervent in his praise, having recourse to him in times of greatest difficulty. Saint Joseph, pray for them (for our loved ones), pray for me (for I too need your help). In whatever need, the Holy Patriarch, together with the Blessed Virgin, will hear our prayers. Today, we ask him to make us simple of heart so that we will know how to show our love for the child Jesus as he did.

From “In Conversation with God” by Fr. Francis Fernandez

Joseph likewise draws near to adore. The earthly shadow of the Eternal Father rests softly on the Child. Joseph draws near, that most hidden of all God’s saints. His soul is an abyss nameless graces, of graces deeper than those from which ordinary virtues spring. We can give no name to the character of his sanctity. We cannot compare him with any other of saints of God. As his office was unshared, so was his grace. It followed the peculiarities of his office; it stood alone.

He stood to Jesus visibly in the place of the Eternal Father. The human soul of Jesus must have regarded him not only with the tenderest love but also with deep reverence and an inexplicable submission. Meek and gentle, blameless and loving as St. Joseph was, it is not possible to think of him without extreme awe, because of that identity with the Eternal Father which belongs to him We cannot describe his holiness, because we have no term of comparison. It was not only higher in degree than that of the saints but it was different in kind. But it was eminently hidden in God.

From “Bethlehem” by Father Faber

MEDITATION FROM ST. PETER JULIAN EYMARD (to be an adorer like St. Joseph): But I think it is no less necessary to leave in the hands of Divine Providence the care of our spiritual life and of our perfection; for it is nothing else than our excessive solicitude for ourselves that makes us lose our peace of mind and puts us into strange and changeable moods. When we commit a fault, however small, we think that everything is lost. You may be so often troubled with dryness that you are not close to God Who is so full of consolation … We must be like St. Joseph, who was calm in trial and leave it to the Lord to free us when it pleases Him. (Sadness returns as we fall back on ourselves and cease to dwell on the thought of Our Lord’s goodness)

Lyrics from a current song:

A Strange Way to Save the World

I’m sure he must have been surprised
At where this road had taken him
Cause never in a million lives
Would he have dreamed of Bethlehem

And standing at the manger
He saw with his own eyes
The message from the angel come to life
And Joseph said:

Why me… I’m just a simple man of trade
Why Him… with all the rulers in the world
Why here inside this stable filled with hay
Why her…she’s just an ordinary girl
Now I’m not one to second guess
What angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the World

To think of how it could have been
If Jesus had come as He deserved
There would have been no Bethlehem
No lowly shepherds at His birth

But Joseph knew the
Reason love had to reach so far
And as he held the Savior in his arms
He must have thought :

Why me… I’m just a simple man of trade
Why Him… with all the rulers in the world
Why here inside this stable filled with hay
Why her…she’s just an ordinary girl
Now I’m not one to second guess
What angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the World
Now, I’m not one to second guess
What angels have to say
But this is such a strange
Way to save the world

Such a strange way, this is
Such a strange way
A strange way to save the world

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Mark Miravalle: St. Joseph & the Immaculate Heart, Part I – Mcast S31

apostolate — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:57:54 +0000

Marycast Specials #31 ( 10min) Play – The holy and hidden figure of St. Joseph comes to light during the Advent/Christmas seasons. What is the dignity of this great man, and how do we convey the wondrous power of his intercession? Listen now as Dr. Miravalle begins a 3-part series on the man whom God chose to “substitute” for Himself when the Word became flesh to dwell among us.
Ave Maria!

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Mark Miravalle: St. Joseph & the Immaculate Heart, Part II – Mcast S32

apostolate — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:40:21 +0000

Marycast Specials #32 ( 10min) Play – Imagine knowing that your wife and foster son would one day experience a horrific event, and that they would have to suffer this burden without you and without your support. Ponder this, and you get an inkling of what St. Joseph’s life must have been like. Dr. Miravalle delves into this fascinating and hidden side of the life of St. Joseph in the second part of this three-part series.

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com
Ave Maria!

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Mark Miravalle: St. Joseph & the Immaculate Heart, Part III – Mcast S33

apostolate — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 17:48:38 +0000

Marycast Specials #33 ( 10min) Play – St. Teresa of Avila says, “If you have not asked St. Joseph for something, then I dare you to do so.” In the last of this mini-series, concluding on the Feast of the Holy Family, Dr. Miravalle takes a final look at the Patron of the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com
Ave Maria!

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March is the Month dedicated to St. Joseph

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:00:23 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

A Novena

The man nearest to Christ Jesus was His foster father, Joseph the carpenter. John the Baptist saw Christ briefly near the Jordan and knew that his work as Precursor was over. The Apostles lived and worked with Christ during the brief days of His public life.

FIRST DAY:

But Joseph presided over the events of Christ’s Infancy, provided for Him the house that sheltered Him from birth to baptism, and was of all the men of earth the one at whose hands Jesus received most in service and love and unselfish devotion.

Born of a royal line, Joseph was a carpenter. That trade he passed on to his foster Son. Joseph was destined to immortal honors of the Church, yet no spoken word of his is recorded in the Scriptures.
Still the Church with good reason cries out, “Go to Joseph.”
This injunction we confidently obey as we pray:

The Prayer to Saint Joseph

O God, who in thine ineffable providence was pleased to choose blessed Joseph for the spouse of thy most holy Mother, grant we beseech thee, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom we venerate as our protector on earth. Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

2nd day:

There is always a cause for the choices God makes.
    Out of the long procession of men through history, God selected Joseph to be the husband of Mary and the protector of the Savior.
    Joseph’s youth was one of stainless virtue.
    His young manhood was marked by deep religious faith and a burning desire to see the Savior of Israel. His was a life of honest work and of a humility that fitted him for his part in the hidden life of the Savior.
    Little did he dream as he visited the synagogue on the Sabbath that someday he would be the protector of the synagogue’s God. Little did he understand that the trade of carpenter that he was learning would be the means by which he would provide food and clothing for the world’s maker, would be the trade that he would teach the creator of the universe.
    Without knowing what it was that he was getting ready for, he gave to his simple jobs the full devotion and the full strength of a character of a simple, honest man.
    In these ordinary ways did he fit himself for the extraordinary assignment that God would give him.
    Remembering this splendid man, who walked the simple ways, we pray:

The Prayer to Saint Joseph

O God, who in thine ineffable providence was pleased to choose blessed Joseph for the spouse of thy most holy Mother, grant we beseech thee, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom we venerate as our protector on earth. Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

3rd day:

Tradition has it that Joseph had taken the vow of virginity, thus renouncing the right to marriage. At any rate he lived a life of purity. He was stainless among men and pure in the sight of God.
    But God in His providence had greater designs for Joseph than mere abstinence. He chose Joseph, the just man, for the delicate mission of sheltering Mary’s virginity and at the same time being her loyal spouse and guardian of the Incarnate Son of God.
    Legend tells us that he was selected by a miracle: The barren rod that he held in his hand blossomed with lilies. Perhaps. But surely his soul was bright with joy when he knew that God had given him to be the partner of his life the rose of Sharon, the stainless lily of Israel, the flower among all the flowers in God’s garden.
    He accepted his bride and his new responsibility with the determination to make her happy, to keep her safe, and in her company to carry out whatever were Gods plans for their future.
    So Joseph and Mary were married, and they established the holy house of Nazareth. There they lived most exemplary lives.
    To this strong and pure protector of Mary we pray:

The Prayer of Saint Joseph

O God, who in thine ineffable providence was pleased to choose blessed Joseph for the spouse of thy most holy Mother, grant we beseech thee, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom we venerate as our protector on earth. Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

4th day:

Wedded to the loveliest of brides, entering marriage with strong ideals and a trust in God’s provident care, Joseph had a right to expect love and security that come with consecrated marriage.
    While marriage for him was the beginning of a high honor, it was also the beginning of a new pain. While it added to his royal dignity, it was also the occasion of poverty, patience, exile, obscurity, confusion and wonderment.
    For at once he found that his virgin bride was with child. What could this possibly mean? He wanted to think her stainless, but what of this clear evidence? He was confused and bewildered. And while it was distasteful to a man of his simple reticence, the law of his people demanded that he put her away.
    Since Mary herself did nothing to enlighten him (for she was committed by God to secrecy) his confusion gave way to grave doubt, and doubt in turn gave way to firm, honorable resolve to take action.
    What a period of suffering and suspense this must have been to Joseph. In His own good time, God would reveal the wonders of the Incarnation of His Divine Son. But to prepare his soul for so great a miracle, God chose to cleanse his heart in suffering.
    Remembering his trial and suffering, we pray:

The Prayer of Saint Joseph

O God, who in thine ineffable providence was pleased to choose blessed Joseph for the spouse of thy most holy Mother, grant we beseech thee, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom we venerate as our protector on earth. Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

5th day:

Pain and patience in the service of Christ and His Mother soon turn to joy.
    The visit of the angel brought an end to Joseph’s problems.
    The Child whom the lovely Mary carried was the Son of the Most High. He had no earthly father, for God Himself was His Father. The Holy Spirit had wrought the wonder in Mary’s body.
    Over Joseph there came in a rush the realization of what his marriage meant.
    He among all men of earth was to be the guardian of the Mother of the Savior.
    Upon him would rest the responsibility to protect the Christ Child, to provide His home, to watch over His childhood, to lead Him into the safe maturity that would be a prelude to His public life.
    The home? Joseph had only the house of the carpenter to offer. The food of the Son of God would be plain. The clothes He wore would be those of a laborer’s child. But Joseph silently vowed that the Christ should never want for a heart to love Him, for hands to serve Him, for feet to run His errands, for a back to shoulder whatever weight God would let him bear.
    Joseph and Mary smiled upon each other and together waited for the coming of the Son of God, the Savior of the world.
    To Joseph, guardian of Mary and protector of the Infant Savior, we say:

The Prayer of Saint Joseph

O God, who in thine ineffable providence was pleased to choose blessed Joseph for the spouse of thy most holy Mother, grant we beseech thee, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom we venerate as our protector on earth. Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

6th day:

To us Christmas is a day of uninterrupted joy.
    To Joseph it was a day of the brightest light and the deepest shadows: a blazing sky and a chilly cave; the presence of angels and the cold shoulder of the villagers; faith and sorrow; intensest joy in the Infant and grief that he could give the Infant only a stable and straw and his ineffectual service.
    The story of Joseph and Christmas is dearly familiar to us.
    It was decreed that they leave the comforts of home and journey to Bethlehem. The doors of the crowded inns were slammed in his face. He quested through the night until he found the cave and prepared it for his bride and for the coming Child.
    His was the joy of hearing the song of the angels and watching the procession of the first adorers. His was the pain of seeing Mary shiver in the cold darkness and of remembering that they had been forced to leave in Nazareth the cradle that he had made with such loving care.
    He was the first sentry in the court of the new king, His first man-at-arms, His prime minister, His treasurer, the faithful disciple of the master, who had yet to speak His first word.
    To Joseph at Christmastide we say:

The Prayer of Saint Joseph

O God, who in thine ineffable providence was pleased to choose blessed Joseph for the spouse of thy most holy Mother, grant we beseech thee, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom we venerate as our protector on earth. Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

7th day:

Compared to the powerful and important Herod, Joseph was in the eyes of his times a nobody.
    Yet as this faithful carpenter and saint made smooth the ways of his Lord, worked for His comfort, and knelt to adore Him, Herod plotted the destruction of this Child, whom he looked upon as a possible rival for his throne.
    Herod had tried to turn the Magi into messengers of death, but these wise men had on a warning from God, through the star-lighted night found their way to the king. Failing this, Herod sent his soldiers out to kill the Child and end the threat to his brief and pitiful power.
    Another visit of an angel … and Joseph is moving through the night, leading the ass that carries the sacred burden of Mother and Child.
    Eyes alert for danger, staff gripped tightly against possible threat, feet tirelessly striding forward, a few coins in his purse, his locked shop left behind him, Joseph travels the glorious and ignominious road to exile.
    But God had chosen well when He chose this protector of Mother and Son. The journey was safe, the exile comfortable, and the return happy and secure.
    To Joseph, guardian of Jesus and of Mary in danger and in exile, we say:

The Prayer of Saint Joseph

O God, who in thine ineffable providence was pleased to choose blessed Joseph for the spouse of thy most holy Mother, grant we beseech thee, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom we venerate as our protector on earth. Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

8th day:

Wonderful things have happened in the long annals of mankind, but none have been more wonderful than what occurred in the little house and shop of Joseph in Nazareth.
    The earnings of a laborer provided the food for the creator of heaven and earth.
    Into the little carpenter shop comes the young Jesus, apprenticed to a trade. Joseph guides the hands that guided the course of the stars; he teaches the maker of sun, stars, and planets the craft of making tables and chairs for peasants and yokes for oxen.
    The Trinity looks down to the lovely trinity of earth – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit beautifully mirrored in Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.
    Modern Christian homes receive their design and pattern from this model.
    Modern Catholic marriage is here given its lovely example.
    The hearts of Mary and Joseph create a union close and dear and intimate and utterly beautiful; together they live and think and plan and work for the Child, who has been given into their keeping.
    Their’s was a beautiful family.
    Remembering the happiness of Joseph in Nazareth, we pray:

The Prayer of Saint Joseph

O God, who in thine ineffable providence was pleased to choose blessed Joseph for the spouse of thy most holy Mother, grant we beseech thee, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom we venerate as our protector on earth. Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

9th day:

Death in the days before Christ was often frightening, often terrible.
    It was left for Joseph to show us for the first time the perfect way to die.
    Graciously God let him know that his work was done. Jesus was almost ready to enter His public life; in that the humble carpenter would play no part.
    He obeyed the voice of God in death as he obeyed that voice in life. But for him the voice had no terrors.
    As Joseph lay on his bed, Jesus and Mary were close to him. His head rested on the virgin breast of his untouched bride. His hand rested in the firm grasp of his foster Son. Jesus was speaking gratefully of what Joseph had done for Him. Mary was saying a loving thank-you. His thoughts were being lifted up … and up …and up toward the heaven that lay ahead and the glory that comes to those who have done their simple duty well.
    Jesus and Mary followed their beloved protector to the grave.
    In his place in glory the whole Chruch has sought him, called him its faithful guardian, and known that from his powerful intercession favors past counting would fall upon the world of men and women, whom he regards as his beloved sons and daughters.
    To Joseph in heaven we say:

The Prayer of Saint Joseph

O God, who in thine ineffable providence was pleased to choose blessed Joseph for the spouse of thy most holy Mother, grant we beseech thee, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom we venerate as our protector on earth. Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Nihil Obstat, John M. Fearns, S.T.D.
Imprimatur Francis Cardinal Spellman
Archbishop, New York

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