The patronage of st. Joseph

To understand how powerful is the intercession of St. Joseph with Jesus Christ, we need only know what the Gospel says, and he was subject to them-(Luke ii. 51). For thirty years, then, the Son of God most carefully obeyed Joseph and Mary. Joseph had only to indicate his will by a word or a sign, and he was immediately obeyed by Jesus. This humility of Jesus in obeying teaches us that the dignity of St. Joseph was above that of all the Saints, with the exception of the Divine Mother.

I. Let us consider what St. Teresa says or the confidence we should have in the protection of St. Joseph; she says: “Our Lord seems to have granted power to other Saints to help in one necessity; experience proves that this Saint helps us in all; and our Lord wishes us to understand that, as on earth He was subject to Joseph, so also in Heaven He refuses him nothing that he asks. Other persons whom I advised to recommend themselves to St. Joseph have experienced this. I never knew anyone who served him, by practising some particular devotion in his honour, who did not always make progress in virtue. I entreat those who do not believe what I say to try it themselves. I cannot understand how it is possible to think of the Queen of Angels and of all the labours she underwent during the childhood of Jesus, without returning thanks to St. Joseph for all the Services he rendered at that time to the Mother and the Son.” We can, therefore, imagine that we hear our Lord, when He sees us afflicted in the midst of our miseries, address us all in the words in which Pharaoh addressed his people at the time of the famine in Egypt: Go to Joseph-(Gen. xli. 55) if you desire consolation.

My holy patron, St. Joseph, I choose thee, after Mary, for my principal advocate and protector. I promise to honour thee every day by some special devotion, and by placing myself under thy protection. I am unworthy of being thy servant; but through the love which thou dost bear to Jesus and Mary, accept me for thy perpetual servant. Through the sweet company of Jesus and Mary which thou didst enjoy during life, protect me during my whole life, that I may never be separated from God by losing His grace.

II. We should especially be devout to St. Joseph in order that the Saint may obtain us a good death. He, on account of having saved the Infant Jesus from the snares of Herod, has the special privileges of delivering dying persons from the snares of the devil. Moreover, on account of the services he rendered for so many years to Jesus and Mary, having by his labours provided them a dwelling and food, he has the privilege of obtaining the special assistance of Jesus and Mary for his devout clients at death.

My holy protector, St. Joseph, on account of my sins I deserve a bad death; but if thou defendest me I shall not be lost. Thou wast not only a great friend of my Judge, but thou wast also His guardian and adopted father; recommend me to thy Jesus, Who loves thee so much. I place myself under thy protection; accept me for thy perpetual servant. And by that holy company of Jesus and Mary which thou didst enjoy on earth, obtain that I may never more be separated from their love; and, in fine, by the assistance of Jesus and Mary, which thou hadst at death, obtain for me, that at my death I also may have the special assistance of Jesus and Mary. Most holy Virgin, by the love which thou didst bear to thy holy spouse St. Joseph, help me at the hour of my death.