Day 7: Pillar of Families
“Not one of us but desires to be a child of Mary during life, and to experience her accustomed merciful aid at the hour of death. But can we be children of Mary without being children of Joseph? If Jesus would not be called her son without, at the same time, calling Joseph His father, how can a Christian reckon her as his mother without looking upon Joseph as his father?”
– The Life and Glories of Saint Joseph, by Edward Healy Thompson
Our Lenten Effort
In our society, it is the norm to make the family what we want it to be. But it is the Holy Family we should look to as a model for our own family.
A pillar is a reliable support. When we call St. Joseph the Pillar of Families, we acknowledge there was never a time he failed to surrender his life for Our Lord and Our Lady. Like the Child Jesus, let us place our families under the watchful guidance of
St. Joseph.
Let us resolve to:
- Pray to St. Joseph for holy and happy marriages and families.
- Pray to St. Joseph for an end to transgenderism and unnatural unions.
- Consecrate your home to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
Novena Prayer
O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.
O Saint Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most Loving of Fathers. O Saint Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. Saint Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us.
(Here mention your request)
Saint Joseph, God willed that you and your foster Son should spend your days together working as carpenters. What a beautiful example you set for the working classes! It was especially for the poor that Jesus came upon earth. Jesus Himself ennobled labor by freely embracing it. Thus He teaches us that for the humbler class of workmen, He has in store His richest graces, provided they live content in the place God’s Providence has assigned them, and remain poor in spirit.
From the Divine Master, who worked along with you, you learned to work in the presence of God in the spirit of prayer, for as He worked He adored His Father and recommended the welfare of the world to Him.
Saint Joseph, please obtain for me the grace to respect the dignity of labor and to be content with my position in life, however lowly, where God has placed me. Teach me to work for God and with God in the spirit of humility and prayer, as you did, so that I may offer my toil in union with the sacrifice of Jesus in the Mass as a reparation for my sins, and gain rich merit for heaven. Amen.
