Day 21: November 26th
EXAMPLE OF MEEKNESS
I don't think that it is a stretch that many of us would not think of St. Joseph as meek; nor is meekness typically thought of as a very masculine trait. To be strong and powerful seems to be the opposite of being meek. But true meekness requires great strength and fortitude.
Meekness is a brother virtue to humility. It is the virtue that inspires one to put the needs and good of another before oneself. To be meek is to raise their needs, or even the stature of another above our own. It is an act done out of love that may bring a price that is joyfully paid. Who could contend that St. Joseph was not such a man, ever putting his wife Mary and the child Jesus, and their needs before his own. Meekness is the primary virtue of sacrifice.
Today's prayer is a Prayer for Priests: May St. Joseph ever be their pillar and be always present to remind these servants of God of their shepherding call and always hold close to the treasure of meekness of heart.
Meekness is a brother virtue to humility. It is the virtue that inspires one to put the needs and good of another before oneself. To be meek is to raise their needs, or even the stature of another above our own. It is an act done out of love that may bring a price that is joyfully paid. Who could contend that St. Joseph was not such a man, ever putting his wife Mary and the child Jesus, and their needs before his own. Meekness is the primary virtue of sacrifice.
Today's prayer is a Prayer for Priests: May St. Joseph ever be their pillar and be always present to remind these servants of God of their shepherding call and always hold close to the treasure of meekness of heart.
LITANY OF ST. JOSEPH
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Christ, hear us. Christ, hear us.
Christ graciously hear us. Christ graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world . . .
God the Holy Spirit . . .
Holy Trinity, One God . . .
Holy Mary. Pray for us.
St. Joseph . . .
Renowned offspring of David . . .
Light of Patriarchs . . .
Spouse of the Mother of God . . .
Chaste guardian of the Virgin . . .
Foster father of the Son of God . . .
Diligent protector of Christ . . .
Head of the Holy Family . . .
Joseph most just . . .
Joseph most chaste . . .
Joseph most prudent . . .
Joseph most strong . . .
Joseph most obedient . . .
Joseph most faithful . . .
Mirror of patience . . .
Lover of poverty . . .
Model of artisans . . .
Glory of home life . . .
Guardian of virgins . . .
Pillar of families . . .
Solace of the afflicted . . .
Hope of the sick . . .
Patron of the dying . . .
Terror of demons . . .
Protector of Holy Church . . .
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world. Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world. Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
℣. He made him the lord of his household.
℟. And prince over all his possessions.
Let us pray: O God, Who in Your ineffable providence deigned to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of Your most holy Mother; grant, we beg You, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom we venerate on earth as our Protector; You who live and reign forever, unto the ages of ages.
--AMEN
PRAYER FOR PRIESTS
O Illustrious Patriarch St. Joseph, who carried the Infant Jesus in thy blessed arms and who, during the space of thirty years, lived in the most intimate familiarity with Him, take under thy powerful protection those whom He has clothed with His authority and honored with the dignity of His priesthood, whom He has charged to continue His mission, to preach His Gospel, and to dispense everywhere His graces and blessings. Sustain them in their fatigues and labors; console them in their pains; fortify them in their combats; but above all, keep far from them all the evils of sin.
Obtain for them the humility of St. John the Baptist, the faith of St. Peter, the zeal and charity of St. Paul, the purity of St. John and the spirit of prayer and recollection of which you, my dear Saint, are the model, so that, after having been on earth the faithful dispensers of the Mysteries of thy foster Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, they may in Heaven receive the recompense promised to pastors according to the Heart of God.
--AMEN
ACT OF CONSECRATION (ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI)
O Holy Patriarch, I rejoice with you at the exalted dignity by which you were deemed worthy to act as father to Jesus, to give him orders and to be obeyed by him whom heaven and earth obey.
O great saint, as you were served by God, I too wish to be taken into your service. I choose you, after Mary, to be my chief advocate and protector.
I promise to honor you every day by some special act of devotion and by placing myself under your daily protection.
By that sweet company which Jesus and Mary gave you in your lifetime, protect me all through life, so that I may never separate myself from my God by losing his grace.
My dear St. Joseph, pray to Jesus for me. Certainly, he can never refuse you anything, as he obeyed all your orders while on earth. Tell him to detach me from all creatures and from myself, to inflame me with his holy love, and then to do with me what he pleases.
By that assistance which Jesus and Mary gave you at death, I beg of you to protect me in a special way at the hour of my death, so that dying assisted by you, iin the company of Jesus and Mary, I may go to thank you in paradise and, in your company, to praise my God for all eternity.
--AMEN
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Christ, hear us. Christ, hear us.
Christ graciously hear us. Christ graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world . . .
God the Holy Spirit . . .
Holy Trinity, One God . . .
Holy Mary. Pray for us.
St. Joseph . . .
Renowned offspring of David . . .
Light of Patriarchs . . .
Spouse of the Mother of God . . .
Chaste guardian of the Virgin . . .
Foster father of the Son of God . . .
Diligent protector of Christ . . .
Head of the Holy Family . . .
Joseph most just . . .
Joseph most chaste . . .
Joseph most prudent . . .
Joseph most strong . . .
Joseph most obedient . . .
Joseph most faithful . . .
Mirror of patience . . .
Lover of poverty . . .
Model of artisans . . .
Glory of home life . . .
Guardian of virgins . . .
Pillar of families . . .
Solace of the afflicted . . .
Hope of the sick . . .
Patron of the dying . . .
Terror of demons . . .
Protector of Holy Church . . .
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world. Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world. Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
℣. He made him the lord of his household.
℟. And prince over all his possessions.
Let us pray: O God, Who in Your ineffable providence deigned to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of Your most holy Mother; grant, we beg You, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom we venerate on earth as our Protector; You who live and reign forever, unto the ages of ages.
--AMEN
PRAYER FOR PRIESTS
O Illustrious Patriarch St. Joseph, who carried the Infant Jesus in thy blessed arms and who, during the space of thirty years, lived in the most intimate familiarity with Him, take under thy powerful protection those whom He has clothed with His authority and honored with the dignity of His priesthood, whom He has charged to continue His mission, to preach His Gospel, and to dispense everywhere His graces and blessings. Sustain them in their fatigues and labors; console them in their pains; fortify them in their combats; but above all, keep far from them all the evils of sin.
Obtain for them the humility of St. John the Baptist, the faith of St. Peter, the zeal and charity of St. Paul, the purity of St. John and the spirit of prayer and recollection of which you, my dear Saint, are the model, so that, after having been on earth the faithful dispensers of the Mysteries of thy foster Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, they may in Heaven receive the recompense promised to pastors according to the Heart of God.
--AMEN
ACT OF CONSECRATION (ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI)
O Holy Patriarch, I rejoice with you at the exalted dignity by which you were deemed worthy to act as father to Jesus, to give him orders and to be obeyed by him whom heaven and earth obey.
O great saint, as you were served by God, I too wish to be taken into your service. I choose you, after Mary, to be my chief advocate and protector.
I promise to honor you every day by some special act of devotion and by placing myself under your daily protection.
By that sweet company which Jesus and Mary gave you in your lifetime, protect me all through life, so that I may never separate myself from my God by losing his grace.
My dear St. Joseph, pray to Jesus for me. Certainly, he can never refuse you anything, as he obeyed all your orders while on earth. Tell him to detach me from all creatures and from myself, to inflame me with his holy love, and then to do with me what he pleases.
By that assistance which Jesus and Mary gave you at death, I beg of you to protect me in a special way at the hour of my death, so that dying assisted by you, iin the company of Jesus and Mary, I may go to thank you in paradise and, in your company, to praise my God for all eternity.
--AMEN