St. Joseph, A Righteous Man

St. Joseph does not want to expose us to shame ...

He quietly arranges things for us
   which otherwise seem impossible.
He removes our fears
   with the assurance of his protection.

“He is the man who doesn’t speak but obeys, the man of tenderness, the man capable of carrying forward the promises so that they might become solid, certain; the man who guarantees the stability of the Kingdom of God, the paternity of God, our sonship as children of God. I like to think of Joseph as the guardian of weaknesses, of our weaknesses too: he is able to give birth to so many beautiful things from our weaknesses, even from our sins.” - Pope Francis

Solemnity of St. Joseph

O St. 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 St. 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 St. 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.
St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls,
pray for us.
Amen 

Keep going to St. Joseph ...

  Remember, O most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, 

that never was it known 

that anyone who implored your help 

and sought your intercession were left unassisted.
 Full of confidence in your power 

I fly unto you and beg your protection.
 Despise not O Guardian of the Redeemer

 my humble supplication in my powerlessness, 

but in your bounty, 

hear and answer me. Amen.

    O dearest St. Joseph, 

I consecrate myself to your honor and give myself to you, 

that you may always be my father, 

my protector and my guide in the way of salvation.

Take all my concerns 

into your most pure heart.

Forgive me for squandering

the graces you have obtained for me.

You see well how unfaithful

and inconstant I am.

Forgive me.

Help me once again, 

grasp me,

and do not let me go.

Be with me living,

be with me dying,

obtain for me a favorable

judgment from Jesus,

my merciful savior.

Amen.

Solemnity of St. Joseph

Pietro Annigoni, St. Joseph and the Christ Child in the Carpentry Workshop, 1963. 

Fresco, San Lorenzo, Florence.

Happy feast day!

I like thinking of St. Joseph, wondering about him.  I'm not very fond of reading scholarly observations on what he was like or what he did, and all of that - simply because they are often too idealized, too perfect, too accomplished.  I rather like to think of Joseph in more simple terms, an honest man, a patient man - a quiet man - not so much silent, as quiet.  I love the painting I used of him, it's a detail of a larger work by Pietro Annigoni.  One can see St. Joseph's fondness for the child Jesus.  His intended touch, a caress, doesn't quite settle upon him, as the little Jesus works intently upon his little project.  Joseph and Mary pondered much in their hearts - the Gospel tells us that about the Blessed Virgin, and so it must have been with Joseph.  I think Joseph was very much restrained in his affections, in his speech, and so on.  I've met men like that - mostly monks - but some ordinary men.  They're often old ... often described as kindly ... they sometimes have watery eyes.

Sometimes I wonder if St. Joseph's feast is kept during Lent, frequently falling near to Holy Week because he 'missed' the Passion of his son.  I wonder if God arranged it thus to spare his sensitive soul from the sight of the suffering Servant, as Isaiah spoke of, a prophecy Joseph would have known about?  I say that because I like to imagine that Joseph was especially disturbed when the little Jesus was lost in the Temple - for three days the parents searched for him.  What anguish and sorrow must have filled St. Joseph's heart?  As father, protector, he could never let any harm come to him ... perhaps the artist who painted this image is telling us that? I wonder if this scene took place after they returned to Nazareth?  Joseph knew he couldn't cling to him.  Couldn't hold onto him.  Couldn't hold him back.

Love hurts.