Pope Francis has proclaimed the year 8 December 2020 to 8 December 2021 as the year of St Joseph. We do not hear much about St Joseph, however, God chose him to be a part of the incarnation story. St Joseph is distinguished for his meekness, humility, obedience, holiness, and hard work.

St Joseph is the head of the Holy Family, with Jesus and Mother Mary submitting to his authority. Jesus is the Son of God, yet He submits himself to St Joseph, and Mary is the Immaculate Conception, and she too submits to St Joseph. The holiness of St Joseph is exemplary as he is the head of the Holy Family and therefore, rightly the patron of the Universal Church. All baptised believers belong to the family of Christ and are called to holiness. We need St Joseph in this present time to lead us to holiness, as he led Jesus and Mary.

St Joseph leads us to holiness by example of his own purity. In marriage, one does not take the vow of chastity, as the purpose of marriage is unitive and procreative. Nevertheless, marriage is a call for holiness. St Joseph’s marriage with the Blessed Mary was for the purpose of protecting baby Jesus and Mary. As his marriage was not procreative, St Joseph is called the most chaste. Family devotion to St Joseph is necessary to live a life of purity, as he is the model and a guide to live a holy life, an ordinary life lived with great perfection.

St Joseph was an ordinary person. People called Jesus the son of a carpenter. However, God chose St Joseph to be the spouse of Mary and the foster father of Jesus. St Joseph’s purity is par excellence. Just the thought of St Joseph fills the atmosphere around me with awe and blessedness. I have never felt this awe before, except for Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

St Joseph is also the patron of a happy death. Living a good life is important. However, to die a good death is far more important, because it is not how you start your journey, but how you end your journey that matters for eternity. St Joseph died with Jesus and Mary at his side. We too need Jesus, Mary, and Joseph at our side in the hour of our death, because in their presence is eternity.

If you desire to live a life of Christian perfection, please consecrate yourself to St Joseph. He is a Spiritual Patriarch, guardian, protector like none other. Many saints have found comfort in St Joseph.

PRAYER OF ACT OF CONSECRATION TO ST JOSEPH

O Glorious Patriarch and Patron of the Church!

O Virgin Spouse of the Virgin Mother of God!

O Guardian and Virginal Father of the Word Incarnate!

In the presence of Jesus and Mary, I choose you this day to be my father, my guardian, and my protector.

O great St Joseph, whom God has made the Head of the Holy Family, accept me, I beseech you, though utterly unworthy, to be a member of your “Holy House.” Present me to your Immaculate Spouse; ask her also to adopt me as her child. With her, pray that I may constantly think of Jesus, and serve him faithfully to the end of my life. O Terror of Demons, increase in me virtue, protect me from the evil one, and help me not to offend God in any way.

O my Spiritual Father, I hereby consecrate myself to you. In faithful imitation of Jesus and Mary, I place myself and all my concerns under your care and protection. To you, after Jesus and Mary, I consecrate my body and soul, with all their faculties, my spiritual growth, my home, and all my affairs and undertakings.

Forsake me not, but adopt me as a servant and child of the Holy Family. Watch over me at all times, but especially at the hour of my death. Console and strengthen me with the presence of Jesus and Mary so that, with you, I may praise and adore the Holy Trinity for all eternity. Amen.

(Prayer extracted from “Consecration to St Joseph, The wonders of our Spiritual Father” by Fr Donald Calloway)

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