In honor of St. Joseph on his feast day today, I want to share what he did for me last Sunday. I'd been trying to get to confession for a while, particularly because something from my past I never remembered to confess had been weighing on my conscience. But things kept happening or I'd be stuck with the kids or the line was too long for the time I had, etc... So on Sunday after Communion I glanced back and thought maybe I'd have a chance since the line wasn't terribly long. My husband took the two little ones outside and I got in line behind 4 people. I had the rest of communion, the whole cleanup of the altar and closing prayers, the last gospel, and procession out before I'd have to be done with confession so I could pick up my son (altar server) from the vestibule in time. Well, after all that, as the procession was about to happen, only ONE person got in for confession. There was no more line movement at all, and I still had 3 people in front of me. I knew it was pretty hopeless, but I prayed to St. Joseph, "Please, if you can get this line to speed up super fast or something, please get me into confession so I can finally clear my conscience. If not, I'll try my best to go as soon as I can another time." So, as the last song was sung as the priest and altar servers gathered for the procession, ALL THREE people in line turned to me and told me I could go ahead of them, into the confessional that had just opened up! It was so shocking, I was dumbfounded. I teared up and went right in and was back out just in time to pick up my son! These people didn't know me at all; they couldn't possibly know I had to hurry... It was an amazing little miracle from St. Joseph, who always comes to my aid. He is amazing. Please share any other St. Joseph stories you may have!
Not a miracle, but I was confirmed in eighth grade. My middle given name is Joseph, but I took the name of the same St. Joseph as my confirmation name too. (Yeah, I was stubborn in my own way, even as a kid.) So I’m Brian Joseph Joseph, which has come in handy, with all my silly projects, having a “double dose” of dear St. Joseph. He has helped me and protected me from my own inexperience and stupidity more times than I can count. My grandfather, who was a consummate welder, mechanic, handyman and gentleman, had the middle name Joseph, and his wife, my grandmother, was named Josephine. I passed that middle name on to my oldest son, who has inherited the handyman genes too.
St. Joseph always helps me with little projects, like changing batteries, helping when things are stuck or too heavy. I have always called on him. My husband's name is Joseph and he was a welder and a mechanic. He's retired now and still has St. Joseph's skills. I am hoping he will weld a very heavy-duty trellis for me this Spring for my flowering vines. I am partial to the prayer to St. Joseph that is centuries old.
"This prayer was found in the 50th year of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In 1505, it was sent from the pope to Emperor Charles when he was going into battle. Whoever shall read this prayer or hear it or keep it about themselves, shall never die a sudden death or be drowned, nor shall poison take effect on them; neither shall they fall into the hands of the enemy or be burned in any fire or be overpowered in battle. Say for nine mornings for anything you desire. It has never been known to fail." ANCIENT PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interest and desires. Oh, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers. Oh, St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him close in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for me. Amen.
My mother prayed this with us every night when I was growing up, and I now pray it nightly with my family. Also my great-grandfather, grandfather, dad, brother, and first son (miscarried) are named Joseph.
The Altar at the Shrine of Saint Joseph was beautiful yesterday and covered in flowers. It was my first Sign that it was his Solemnity, I totally forgot. I was a little sad that more people did not come to pray in front of it after Mass. Maybe two or three. I thought people might have flocked. The priest during the Homily mentioned that current Scriptural studies show that Joseph would certainly have been a young man . I was curious and looked at the marble statue of Joseph to see how they placed him, it is very old, maybe a hundred years old. In fact the statue of him is that of a young man. The Old Catholic tradition back then was to portray him as an old man because they wanted to underline the fact that Mary never had sexual relations with him. He was seen more as a protector, rather than husband and father. I think the modern way is better. Young and very much part of the family..Though always pure ..as was the Blessed Virgin. The priest mentioned a French painting of St Joseph which showed him as a man of many anxieties. Also young. https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/4426 The Anxiety of Saint Joseph (L'anxiété de Saint Joseph) James Tissot European Art Betrothed but still unmarried, Mary and Joseph do not yet live together, making the news of her unexpected pregnancy a cause of deep concern for Joseph. Ordinarily industrious, as the curled wood shavings around his feet attest, the carpenter hunches over his bench, lost in thought and unable to work. In the hope of catching a glimpse of Mary, he gazes out at the street as women pass carrying jars filled with the day’s water. Although traditional representations of Joseph show a man of advanced age, Tissot painted him as younger and more robust, arguing in his accompanying commentary that “Rabbinical doctrine” would have regarded the union of an old man and a young girl as a “profanation.” He further asserted that the rigorous demands placed on the Holy Family required a man of vigor.
The saints , such as Saint Padre Pio always remind us that it is wrong to worry , even sinful. But anxious? Maybe. Perhaps a better way to put it would be alert to do the will of God. Very often when I think of Saint Joseph these day I think of Saint Andre Bisset, the Canadian lay brother who had such an intense Devotion to St Joseph and shows us the way.... http://www.anchornews.org/index.php...o-st-joseph-in-the-life-of-st-andre-bessette/
Was struggling the other night and asked God for help. I opened a Divine Mercy prayer book and a prayer to Saint Joseph was the first thing I saw. It was on the feast of Saint Joseph that this happened.
