News and Events : St. Joseph Novena Day Nine

Here is the last installment of the St. Joseph Novena.  I hope you will draw closer to God by drawing closer to St. Joseph.

First visit is St. Joseph fidelity to grace.
    Joseph was God's man.  As the search for room went on, through grace he realized that this too was God's plan and who was he to murmur or to try to make it different.  He had done all that was humanly possible - God would take over now and though he suffered as he led her down the hill to an abandoned stable, yet there was joy in the suffering because of God's grace. ( meditate for one minute.)
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's fidelity to grace.  I ask through his intercession for fidelity to grace and for...(mention your request)

Second visit is St. Joseph's fidelity to the interior life.
     As Joseph led the way to the stable there were plenty of thoughts surging through his brain.  God had come to earth to save man and man would not receive Him.  Love rose up in the heart of Joseph to make up for the coldness of men. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. (meditate on minute.)
     My God I thank Thee for St. Joseph's fidelity to the interior life.  I ask through his intercession for fidelity to the interior life and for ...(mention your request)

Third visit is St. Joseph's love for Our blessed Lady
     The stable is found, the birthplace of the Son of God. Mary must be made as comfortable as circumstances allowed.  Joseph cleared a place for her and out of soft hay made a resting place for her. He hung his lantern on the wall and then took up his place at the door so that nothing might disturb Mary. Suddenly the faint cry of an Infant told Joseph the moment had come. Mary had given him his God Whose face he so longed to behold. (meditate one minute)
    My God I thank Thee for St. Joseph's love of Our Blessed Lady. May I love her as St. Joseph did so that I may love her with his love. I also ask for...(mention your request)

Fourth visit is St. Joseph's love of the Holy Child
    Joseph beheld Mary on her knees adoring the Divine Child before her. St. Joseph falls down in adoration of the Son of God - He has two worshipers which for all times would be the exemplars for all men in adoration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Lost in contemplation are these two souls so dear to God. They would have remained thus if God had not demanded that they should be the ones to show mankind the Holy Child.  Footsteps - the shepherds arrive.  Joseph and Mary know their duty - they must share their joys with their neighbor; love of God and love of neighbor shall ever go hand in hand.  St. Joseph, pray for us that our hearts may be filled with the love of the Divine Child and with love for out neighbor. (meditate one minute)
     My God I thank Thee for St. Joseph's love for the HOly Child. May I love Him as St. Joseph did so that I may love Him with Joseph's love.  I also ask for ...(mention your request)

Add to the end of the novena:
May the most Just, the most high, and the most amiable will of God be in all things fulfilled , praised and exalted now and forever. Amen.

News and Events: St. Joseph Novena Day Six

We are in retreat this week - so I will give you (finally) day Six of the St. Joseph Novena.  Be assured we are praying for each of you.

First visit St. Joseph's Fidelity to Grace
     Through Mary would receive all grace. Joseph had the grace to experience this joy before the Incarnate Word's birth - - grace poured out through the heart of her who was to be the Mother of us all and Joseph rejoiced when Mary gave her FIAT once more: "Joseph, be it done to me according to God's work; Joseph, we will go to Bethlehem together." (meditate one minute)
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph'a fidelity to grace.  I ask through his intercession for fidelity to grace and for (mention your request).

Second Visit Fidelity to the Interior Life
     May's resignation to God's plan filled Joseph's soul with joy; his soul again was at peace and he experienced what every holy soul enjoys whose will conforms to God's will in all things.  If I have peace of soul I am at peace with God; if not, then what is wanting to me, O good St. Joseph? (meditate one minute)
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's fidelity to the interior life.  I ask though his intercession for ( mention your request)

Third visit St. Joseph's Love for Our Blessed Lady
     In each trial Joseph learned more about his spouse the Blessed Virgin.  He learned how perfectly her soul and heart and mind were attuned to God's grace and God's plan for her in His work of the redemption of man.  Out of this knowledge grew a great love, a love born of God.  Joseph's love for Mary was the highest, the purest, the noblest - God gave him that love.  ( meditate one minute)
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's love of Our Blessed Lady.  May I love her as St. Joseph did so that I may love her with his love.  I also ask for ( mention your request)

Fourth visit St. Joseph's love of the Holy Child
     Joseph realized better each day where all these graces came from - May was the Lily of Israel, the Chosen One of God for His plans of the redemption of mankind.  Joseph knew that the beauty of of Mary's soul that increased.  How his heart went out in love to this Divine Child whose face he was soon to see.   Come, O Desired of Nations, come to save us!  Such must have been the love of God's man waiting for the Messiah's birth.  ( meditate one minute)
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's love for the Holy Child.  May I love Him as St. Joseph did so that I may love Him with Joseph's love.  I also ask for...( Mention your request.)

News and Events: St Joseph Novena Day four

This week will be the last week of classes for Saint Joseph Academy.  We are a small school so everyone is family to us.  Having the summer off is fun, but we should always be ready to learn about our faith in grow in the love of God.  Since I've been posting our St. Joseph Novena, I thought I would find out where the practice of praying a novena comes from.  The origin of the novena is hard to pin point because it is such an ancient practice. It may have come from the nine days between the Ascension of our Lord and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Here is day four of the St. Joseph Novena

First visit St. Joseph Fidelity to Grace
     Once the trail was over what must have been Joseph's cooperation with grace and what his preparation to behold the face of His God. Those days were special days of grace-retreat days when Joseph with Mary at his side prepared for his Messiah. (meditate one minute)
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's fidelity to grace.  I ask through his intercession for fidelity to grace and for....(mention your request)

Second visit St. Joseph's Fidelity to the Interior Life. 
     Joseph knew that nothing would please the Messiah more than his adorning his soul with every grace possible for His coming.  With Mary as example and model and with her help Joseph was in a position to do this as no other man has ever been.  Truly he was God's man - God's Guardian for her who was the Mother of Grace. ( Meditate for one minute)
     Mu God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's fidelity to the interior life.  I ask through his intercession for fidelity to the interior life and for ....(mention your request)

Third visit St. Joseph's love for Our Blessed Lady
     As St. Joseph meditated on the virtue of his Spouse, the Blessed Virgin, his love grew in proportion.  To him she was indeed "Virgin most holy, Virgin most pure, Virgin most prudent," etc. (meditate for one minute)
     My God I thank Three for St. Joseph's love of Our Blessed Lady.  May I love her as St. Joseph did so that I may love her with his love.  I also ask for....(mention your request)

Fourth Visit St. Joseph's Love of the Holy Child 
     Joseph' love for the Child Jesus projected into the future too; how he longed to see the face of his God - what aspirations went up in silent adoration - what acts of love in preparation for the great event. ( meditate one minute)
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's love for the Holy Child.  May I love Him as St. Joseph did so that I may love Him with Joseph's love.  I also ask for...  (mention your request)