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Day Six
Patron of Families
Saint Joseph, I venerate you
as the gentle head of the Holy Family.
The Holy Family was the
scene of your life's work in its origin,
in its guidance, in its protection,
in your labor for Jesus and Mary,
and even in your death in their arms.
You lived, moved, and acted
in the loving company of Jesus and Mary.
The inspired writer describes your life
at Nazareth in only a few words:
"And (Jesus) went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was subject to them" (Luke, 2:51).
Yet these words tell
of your high vocation here on earth,
and the abundance of graces
which filled your soul
during those years spent in Nazareth.
Your family life at Nazareth
was all radiant with the light of divine charity.
There was an intimate union of heart and mind
among the members of your Holy Family.
There could not have been a closer bond
than that uniting you to Jesus,
your foster-Son and to Mary,
your most loving wife.
Jesus chose to fulfill toward you,
His foster-father,
all the duties of a faithful son,
showing you every mark of honor
and affection due to a parent.
And Mary showed you all the signs
of respect and love of a devoted wife.
You responded to this love
and veneration from Jesus and Mary
with feelings of deepest love and respect.
You had for Jesus
a true fatherly love,
enkindled and kept aglow
in your heart by the Holy Spirit.
And you could not cease to admire
the workings of grace in Mary's soul,
and this admiration caused the holy love
which you had consecrated to her
on the day of your wedding grow stronger every day.
God has made you a heavenly patron
of family life because you sanctified yourself
as head of the Holy Family
and thus by your beautiful example
sanctified family life.
How peacefully and happily the Holy Family
rested under the care of your fatherly rule,
even in the midst of trials.
You were the protector, counselor,
and consolation of the Holy Family in every need.
And just as you were the model of piety,
so you gave us by your zeal,
your earnestness and devout trust
in God's providence, and especially by your love,
the example of labor according to the Will of God.
You cherished all the experiences
common to family life
and the sacred memories of the life,
sufferings, and joys in the company of Jesus and Mary.
Therefore the family is dear to you
as the work of God,
and it is of the highest importance
in your eyes to promote
the honor of God and the well-being of man.
In your loving fatherliness
and unfailing intercession you are
the patron and intercessor of families,
and you deserve a place in every home.
Saint Joseph, I thank God
for your privilege of living
in the Holy Family and being its head.
As a token of your own gratitude to God,
obtain God's blessing
upon my own family.
Make our home the kingdom of Jesus and Mary
a kingdom of peace, of joy, and love.
I also pray for all Christian families.
Your help is needed in our day
when God's enemy has directed his attack
against the family in order to
desecrate and destroy it.
In the face of these evils,
as patron of families, be pleased to help;
and as of old, you arose to save the Child and His Mother,
so today arise to protect
the sanctity of the home.
Make our homes sanctuaries of prayer,
of love, of patient sacrifice, and of work.
May they be modeled after your own at Nazareth.
Remain with us with Jesus and Mary,
so that by your help we may
obey the commandments of God
and of the Church;
receive the holy sacraments of God
and of the Church;
live a life of prayer;
and foster religious instruction in our homes.
Grant that we may be
reunited in God's Kingdom
and eternally live in the company
of the Holy Family in heaven.
Novena Prayer
*(prayer to be said at the end of each day's devotion)
Saint Joseph, I, your unworthy child, greet you.
You are the faithful protector and intercessor
of all who love and venerate you.
You know that I have special confidence
in you and that, after Jesus and Mary,
I place all my hope of salvation in you,
for you are especially powerful with God
and will never abandon your faithful servants.
Therefore I humbly invoke you
and commend myself,
with all who are dear to me
and all that belong to me,
to your intercession.
I beg of you,
by your love for Jesus and Mary,
not to abandon me during life
and to assist me at the hour of my death.
Glorious Saint Joseph,
spouse of the Immaculate Virgin,
obtain for me a pure, humble,
charitable mind, and perfect resignation
to the divine Will.
Be my guide, my father,
and my model through life
that I may merit to die
as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary.
Loving Saint Joseph,
faithful follower of Jesus Christ,
I raise my heart to you to
implore your powerful intercession in obtaining
from the Divine Heart of Jesus
all the graces necessary
for my spiritual and temporal welfare,
particularly the grace of a happy death,
and the special grace I now implore:
(Mention your request)
Guardian of the Word Incarnate,
I feel confident that your prayers in my behalf
will be graciously heard before the throne of God.
Amen.
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