On March 19th, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of St. Joseph.

St. Joseph is the husband of the Virgin Mary and the father of Jesus on earth. He is mentioned in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John. We know he worked as a carpenter and taught his trade to Jesus. The last mention of Joseph in the Gospels is the finding of the twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple. Joseph is understood to have died, in the company of Jesus and Mary, sometime before Jesus’ public ministry began at the wedding feast at Cana. Because of this, he is the patron saint of a happy death.

 

Because St. Joseph’s Day falls on a Friday this year, the solemnity trump's our Friday day of abstinence from meat, as well as our voluntary Lenten disciplines.

 

In this year of St. Joseph turn to him and ask him to lead you closer to Jesus. For St. Joseph desires only one thing: that Jesus accomplish the mission that he was sent to do by his Heavenly Father. It does not matter to St. Joseph if he is not center stage. Jesus loves this about St. Joseph. The humility of St. Joseph is a witness to his greatness! St. Joseph, Pray for us!

 

Take a few moments this week, in honor of St. Joseph, and pray the Litany of St. Joseph.

You might also reflect on how Joseph cared for his family and how they shared meals together as a family, for that was a Jewish tradition.

 

LITANY OF ST. JOSEPH – CLICK HERE

 

Resources from: The Catholic All Year; Consecration to St. Joseph – The Wonder of Our Spiritual Father