Happy St. Joseph’s Day

As a Polish-American great-granddaughter of immigrants from the northern coast of Poland we have always celebrated the Feastday of St. Joseph.  He is our go-to-saint for everything associated with  family.

He was the head of the Blessed Family.  He was the provider for Our Lord Jesus and Mary, our Blessed Mother.  He was a carpenter, a husband, a father, and the man who presided at the head of the table during mealtimes and prayers.  He suffered through the mundane minutea of daily life. I am sure he experienced every emotion known to man: worry,  sadness,  discouragement,  happiness, and even fear yet he shouldered the burdens of his young family without complaint. He knew exactly how demanding life can be within the confines of ‘family‘.

I know St. Joseph watches over my husband and family because he totally empathizes with the problems faced by families today.  He will hear our prayers, and will answer them.  As St. Teresa of Avila said “I know by experience that the glorious St. Joseph assists us generally in all necessities. I never asked him for anything which he did not obtain for me.” 

I too believe this.  Enjoy today, and when the day is done – say a quick thank you to St. Joseph on his feastday.

Prayer to St. Joseph

O blessed Joseph, faithful guardian of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, protector
of thy chaste spouse, the virgin Mother of God, I choose thee this day to
be my special patron and advocate and I firmly resolve to honor thee all
the days of my life. Therefore I humbly beseech thee to receive me as thy
client, to instruct me in every doubt, to comfort me in every affliction,
to obtain for me and for all the knowledge and love of the Heart of Jesus,
and finally to defend and protect me at the hour of my death. Amen