My Novena to St. Joseph

Rev. Daniel M Quackenbush

FIRST DAYSt. Joseph,Patron of FamiliesST. Joseph, the Churchthroughout the world honorsyou as the Patron of Families.Surely divine providence led youto embrace Mary as your wife.When she was found to be with child and youintended to "divorce her quietly," the Lord sent HisAngel to intervene and led you anew to accept Maryas your spouse: "Do not be afraid to take Mary yourwife into your home . . . it is through the Holy Spiritthat this child has been conceived in her"(Mt 1:20).Joseph, your marriage was part of God's plan,indeed, and as husband of Mary you wereimmersed in the great redemptive mystery of theIncarnation. What a trustworthy soul you mustbe, called as you were to be husband and father inthe home that sheltered God's Son and HisImmaculate Mother Mary!Before the awesome responsibilities you faced,it would have been easy to lack courage. ButAlmighty God does not assign a role in life withoutproviding the necessary graces. You had experiencedGod's guidance and protection and youknew that He was with you. You trusted in Hislove for your family and with confidence you followedHis lead—protecting them from a paganand hostile world and working at your carpentertrade daily and generously to provide food, clothing,and shelter for your family. You likewiseserved as educator to Jesus, teaching Him aboutlife, about carpentry, and about the Jewish Faith.You were a kind and just man, Joseph, but youwere human and subject to fall—not divine like theChild you protected, nor sinless like the Virgin youguarded. In the home of the Holy Family, your heartwas the most vulnerable opening for sin to enter.Yetyou faithfully cooperated with divine grace by livinga life worthy of the innocence and purity of yourcharges! You cultivated within your home a spirit ofprayer and devotion! Had not the Incarnate Word ofGod Himself come to dwell in your home as yourSon, still your home would have been one in whichGod's Word was welcome and lived.St. Joseph, intercede for families—the sanctuariesof life. May couples discern God's will concerningtheir call to marriage and be confident inGod's blessing in their homes. May they generouslycooperate in His loving plan and be cocreatorswith Him in giving life. May families beprotected from anger and hatred, lies and selfishness,infidelity and divorce.Pray for us, Joseph, that children may honorparents and that spouses may honor one another.May children know patience and kindness andshare these same virtues with their brothers andsisters. May single-parent homes and orphans beblessed with peace and security and the love andsupport they need to live happy and blessed lives.St. Joseph, Patron of Families, pray that Jesusmay be welcomed into our homes and be the cen-4 First Dayter of our lives, as He was in the life of the HolyFamily. Then our homes will be filled with God'slove - they will be filled with God - as your homein Nazareth was. We ask you for these blessingsand for all of the intentions we bring before youin this Novena (pause).Rosary and Litany of St. Joseph (see p. 32)PrayerLet us pray: Lord Jesus, when You took onhuman flesh in the womb of Your Virgin Mother Youidentified with all humanity. Similarly, through thehome You shared with Your Mother and St. JosephYou identified with all families.You know what asanctuary a home can be for nurturing life andlove.You are aware of the responsibilities that familylife imposes upon us, as You submitted to theguidance of Your earthly parents and learned eachday to contribute to the well-being of Your home.We thank You for our families and for the love weshare in them. Heed the prayers of our patron, St.Joseph, who so faithfully fulfilled his role as fatherand husband in Your home in Nazareth. May ourfamilies be protected from all those things thatthreaten our peace, harmony, and joy.May Your love reign in our homes, as it did in Yourhome in Nazareth, and flow out beyond our wallsinto the neighborhoods and world in which YourFather has planted us as sources of grace and blessingfor others.We ask this, Jesus, and all the intentionswe bring before You in this Novena in honor ofSt. Joseph, the Patron of Families. rAmen.St. Joseph, Patron of Families 5

My Novena to St. Joseph Rev. Daniel M Quackenbush
	Item#	Binding	isbn - 10	Price
	9780899421933	Paperback	0899421938	1.75
A completely new novena to St. Joseph that utilizes his most popular titles. Illustrated.

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