We have arrived again at one of my favorite days of the entire year; the Solemnity of Saint Joseph. Despite receiving relatively little attention from most Catholics nowadays, this feast warrants great celebration. In fact, on this day in the middle of lent, the Gloria returns to the mass, flowers are allowed to adorn the churches again, and the vestments and altar cloths are white instead of lenten purple. Additionally it is permissible for Catholics to celebrate by relaxing some of their lenten penance and fasting and, at one point in history, this feast even had an octave like that of Christmas. As it has in ages past, the Church bids us to rejoice today as we celebrate Saint Joseph, earthly father of Jesus and husband of Mary. However, this beautiful feast looks substantially different this year than most.
Currently, we are in the midst of a worldwide crisis as the COVID-19 virus spreads throughout the world. What at first looked mostly like an issue in China alone has become an issue for all of us in the world. Typically, there are special masses, processions, and traditional dinners held in honor of Saint Joseph. This year, however, many places throughout the world have suspended public masses and we are being told not to have gatherings of more than a certain number of people. Therefore, many of us will celebrate from the privacy of our homes. Despite being unable to publicly celebrate Saint Joseph, we still need to celebrate and ask Joseph for his assistance from Heaven, especially in times like this. In some ways, the celebration of Saint Joseph within the home is extremely fitting. In fact, in the Litany of Saint Joseph, he is addressed as “The Glory of Home Life” and “Pillar of Families.” Therefore, Joseph is very present to us as we quietly and privately celebrate this day in our homes with our families. However, because of his patronages of the home and family life, his patronage extends to all aspects of life. If the family is the very foundation of life and society, it would follow then that Saint Joseph’s patronage extends out into every aspect of our life. If one reads through the entire text of the litany of Saint Joseph, it can be seen how he is invoked in nearly every cause. He truly is the saint for all things and all times. In this time, however, a few of the invocations to Saint Joseph stand out as especially important. The last five invocations in the litany of Saint Joseph are as follows: solace of the wretched, hope of the sick, patron of the dying, terror of demons, and protector of Holy Church. It’s not hard to come to the conclusion that as disease continues to spread with no end in sight, these patronages of Saint Joseph are notably important to us. In this time of so much sorrow and wretchedness, may Joseph obtain for us joy. In this time where so many are ill, may Joseph obtain for us health. In this time where so many are dying, may Joseph obtain for us peace at the hour of death. In this time where the evil of Satan and his demons is so visible to us, may Joseph obtain for us strength for the fight. In this time where we are in danger, whether spiritually or physically, may Joseph obtain for us protection. As Christ gave to us Mary as our mother, he gave to us Joseph as our spiritual father. The trials we are going through have been foreknown by Our Lord. Therefore, we can trust that he provides all that we need to face them. So much of what we need seems to be taken from us; attendance at the mass or even the very churches themselves, public devotions and processions, access to public sacraments like baptism and matrimony, and in some cases, people are even being left without sacraments of forgiveness like confession and extreme unction (last rites). However, there is much we still have; the Bible, the Rosary, prayer in private and with our families, and, last but certainly not least, devotion to Saint Joseph. Saint Teresa of Avila said, “To other Saints Our Lord seems to have given power to succor us in some special necessity—but to this glorious Saint, I know by experience, He has given the power to help us in all. Our Lord would have us understand that as He was subject to St. Joseph on earth—for St. Joseph, bearing the title of father and being His guardian, could command Him—so now in Heaven Our Lord grants all his petitions.” Saint Joseph has great power in imploring Our Lord in all situations, including the one we find ourselves in now. Therefore, let us ask for his assistance now and, God willing that this scourge is removed from us, until the day we die for he is the saint of all and for all. Artwork: St Joseph and the Christ Child (c. 1655–60), Bartolomé Esteban Murillo
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About MeAn Iowa-raised convert to Catholicism seeking to live my life entirely for Jesus and His Church with all the saints. Archives
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