St. Joseph the Worker

Today, I would like to pay tribute to St. Joseph, the Workman, by publishing some excerpts from the book Saint Joseph As Seen by Mystics and Historians:

Jesus speaks: "Finally, I would like to draw the attention of parents to how Joseph made a clever workman of Me, without any help of pedagogical learning. As soon as I was old enough to handle tools, he did not let Me lead a life of idleness, but he started Me to work and he made use of My love for Mary as the means to spur Me to work. I was to make useful things for Mother. That is how he inculcated the respect which every son should have for his mother and the teaching for the future carpenter was based on that respectful and loving incentive." pp. 303

St. Joseph and me

I only got acquainted with this great saint a few years ago after I bought the book I mentioned above. It's almost an inch thick and I highly recommend it to all who wants to know St. Joseph in a more intimate way. When I think of it I cannot figure out why I haven't been devoted to him much earlier. He has been with me ever since. You see I spent my grade school and high school years in a local Catholic school named after him, I have a brother who was born on his feast day, March 19, and consequently named after him, and my best buddy's name bears his name too (although he has an extra name attached to it). Regrettably, up until now, I can only best describe my devotion to him as mere sentimentality, and worse I only remember him when I'm at the end of my ropes and have nowhere to go. Nevertheless, I know he is always there to help me and that thought always comforts me, and so I urge everyone to have a special devotion to this great saint especially for people with SSA and father issues.

Prayer to St. Joseph the Worker

"Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously by placing love of duty above my inclinations; to gratefully and joyously deem it an honor to employ and to develop by labor the gifts I have received from God, to work methodically, peacefully, and in moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from it through weariness or difficulty to work; above all, with purity of intention and unselfishness, having unceasingly before my eyes death and the account I have to render of time lost, talents unused, good not done, and vain complacency in success, so baneful to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all to imitate thee, O patriarch St. Joseph! This shall be my motto for life and eternity." - Pope Pius IX