GO TO JOSEPH!
When the people of ancient Egypt were undergoing a famine, they cried out to Pharaoh for food. He responded, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you to do” (Genesis 41:55). With today’s world in such turmoil, we again need to "go to Joseph," but now this means praying to the husband of the Blessed Mother and the earthly father of Jesus.
St. Teresa of Avila, the foundress of the Discalced Carmelite order, is largely responsible for the popularity of devotion to St. Joseph. In the sixth chapter of her autobiography, she writes: “I took for my advocate the glorious St. Joseph and commended myself earnestly to him. I do not remember ever asking him for anything which he failed to grant. Jesus wishes to teach us that just as He was subject to St. Joseph on earth, in Heaven Our Lord still does all that he asks of Him. I only beg that anyone who does not believe me will put what I say to the test, and he will see by experience what great advantages come from commending himself to this glorious patriarch.”
When St. Teresa desired to establish a monastery, she got direct orders from Our Lord to dedicate her first reformed [Discalced] Carmel to St. Joseph. In fact, she ended up dedicating two-thirds of her monasteries to him. She is the promoter of unlimited trust and confidence in St. Joseph! When it comes to St. Joseph, St. Teresa—a Doctor of the Church—has the right “prescription.”
Many of our Popes have praised this "Just Man" of the New Testament. Blessed Pius IX declared him the "Patron of the Universal Church," which is a title above and beyond that given to any other saint in history, except for the Blessed Virgin Mary. Leo XIII confirmed of St. Joseph that "there is no doubt he approaches nearer than any other to that superabundant dignity of Our Blessed Mother Mary." Pius XI spoke of his "all-powerful intercession" as the true head of the Holy Family.
Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has wasted no time in giving historic honor to St. Joseph. In one of his first acts as Holy Father, he decreed that the name of St. Joseph was to be inserted after the reference to the Virgin Mary into all four of the main Eucharistic prayers. Pope Francis' strong personal love for St. Joseph is likewise indicated by the saint's presence on his papal coat of arms in the form of a vine.
However, it was another Pope, St. John XXIII, who, on November 13, 1962—during the first session of Vatican II—had St. Joseph’s name added to the Roman Canon of the Mass for the first time (for at least 150 years before that, bishops had been petitioning Rome to have this done). St. John even declared St. Joseph to be the Patron of the Second Vatican Council. Yet another Pope, St. John Paul II, wrote in Redemptoris Custos (Guardian of the Redeemer): “Patronage to St. Joseph must be invoked, not only as a defense against all dangers, but also as an impetus for renewed commitment to evangelization. Because St. Joseph is the protector of the Church, he is also the guardian of the Eucharist and the Christian family. We must plead with St. Joseph to guard our Eucharistic Lord and the Christian family during this time of peril.”
If you don’t normally pray to Joseph, Lent is a great time to begin. Suggested devotions include praying the Joyful mysteries of the Rosary (St. Joseph was present at all five), and meditating on his Seven Sorrows and Seven Joys (shown below). Traditionally, this devotion consists of reciting the "Our Father" and the "Hail Mary" seven times each during your meditation (one Our Father and One Hail Mary per each set of sorrows and joys).
1st Sorrow – Joseph Resolves to Leave Mary (Matthew 1:18-19)
1st Joy – The Annunciation to St. Joseph (Matthew 1:20-21)
2nd Sorrow – The Poverty of Jesus’ Birth (Luke 2:6-7)
2nd Joy – The Birth of the Savior of Mankind (Luke 2:10-19)
3rd Sorrow – The Circumcision of Christ (Luke 2:21)
3rd Joy – The Holy Name of Jesus (Matthew 1:24-25)
4th Sorrow – Simeon’s Prophecy (Luke 2:34-35)
4th Joy – The Salvation of Mankind (Luke 2:29-33)
5th Sorrow – The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-14)
5th Joy – The Toppling of the Idols (Isaiah 19:1)
6th Sorrow – The Perilous Return from Exile (Matthew 2:19-22)
6th Joy – Family Life at Nazareth (Luke 2:39-40)
7th Sorrow – The Loss of Jesus in Jerusalem (Luke 2:42-45)
7th Joy – The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:46-52)
In the spirit of St. Teresa of Avila, please pray the following Novena to St. Joseph for your own intentions, for the protection of the Carmelite family, for the success of Saint Therese Carmelite School, and for continued blessings upon St. Therese Church and all its parishioners and visitors.
NOVENA TO ST. JOSEPH (To be prayed from March 11 to 19)
O glorious St. Joseph, to you do we raise our hearts and hands to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all the helps and graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death and the special favor we now seek. O Guardian of the Word Incarnate, we have confidence that your prayers on our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. O Glorious St. Joseph, through your love for Jesus Christ and for the glory of His Name, hear our prayers and obtain our petitions. Amen.
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