Day 27: December 2nd
GUARDIAN OF VIRGINS
In the earliest traditions of St. Joseph, many of the Church Fathers understood him to be an older man who was chosen especially, in part, to protect the virginity of Mary. In many schools of thought and according to the Protoevangelium of James, where we find the names of Mary’s parents, she was a temple virgin, one who had vowed a lifetime of virginity. This vow would also explain some of the strangeness of her response to the Angel Gabriel. Recall that the Angel said she would bear a child and that she asked how this was going to take place. Notice that both are in the future tense and even when he explained to her that the Holy Spirit would come over her, her pregnancy remained an event that would happen in the future. Had she intended to live with Joseph as typical husband and wife, a more normal question would have been to know when this was going to happen, or possibly why she was chosen. Her wonderment, however, suggests that she was expecting to remain a virgin. While not extremely common, virgins vowed to the Temple were not rare.
With many of the modern day attacks against the Virginity of the Mother of God (something that was universally accepted, even in the Protestant communities until the 19th century) St. Joseph continues to be the Guardian of not just the Mother of God, but of her Virginity. In particular, his chaste love and virtue also preserves for us her singular devotedness to God and the purity of love that exists between a husband and wife. Together, they remind us that physical relations are not the highest expression of love and that it is not essential to a healthy marriage.
From his selection as the husband to Mary, St. Joseph was seen as the Guardian of Virgins. This can be especially meaningful in our world today, as virginity itself, in this country and throughout the Western world, has been under severe attack and is considered by the secular world to be a bad thing. No longer does our broader culture see virginity as a virtue, nor something to be guarded and protected. To the contrary, the loss of virginity is seen as a passage into adulthood.
We ask our dear Saint, to continue to be the Guardian of Virgins, of those in religious and vowed life, and also Guardian of the virtue of virginity for all who have not yet married.
With many of the modern day attacks against the Virginity of the Mother of God (something that was universally accepted, even in the Protestant communities until the 19th century) St. Joseph continues to be the Guardian of not just the Mother of God, but of her Virginity. In particular, his chaste love and virtue also preserves for us her singular devotedness to God and the purity of love that exists between a husband and wife. Together, they remind us that physical relations are not the highest expression of love and that it is not essential to a healthy marriage.
From his selection as the husband to Mary, St. Joseph was seen as the Guardian of Virgins. This can be especially meaningful in our world today, as virginity itself, in this country and throughout the Western world, has been under severe attack and is considered by the secular world to be a bad thing. No longer does our broader culture see virginity as a virtue, nor something to be guarded and protected. To the contrary, the loss of virginity is seen as a passage into adulthood.
We ask our dear Saint, to continue to be the Guardian of Virgins, of those in religious and vowed life, and also Guardian of the virtue of virginity for all who have not yet married.
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
MEMORARE TO ST. JOSEPH
Remember, O most pure Spouse of the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph my beloved patron, that never has it been heard that anyone invoked thy patronage and sought thine aid without being comforted. Inspired by this confidence, I come to thee and fervently commend myself to thee. Despise not my petition, dear Foster Father of our Redeemer, but accept it graciously.
--AMEN
ACT OF CONSECRATION (ST. BERNARDINE OF SIENA)
O my beloved St. Joseph, adopt me as thy child. Take charge of my salvation; watch over me day and night; preserve me from the occasions of sin; obtain for me purity of body. Through thy intercession with Jesus, grant me a spirit of sacrifice, humility, self-denial, burning love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and a sweet and tender love for Mary, my mother, Saint Joseph, be with my living, be with me dying, and obtain for me a favorable judgment from Jesus, my merciful savior.
--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
MEMORARE TO ST. JOSEPH
Remember, O most pure Spouse of the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph my beloved patron, that never has it been heard that anyone invoked thy patronage and sought thine aid without being comforted. Inspired by this confidence, I come to thee and fervently commend myself to thee. Despise not my petition, dear Foster Father of our Redeemer, but accept it graciously.
--AMEN
ACT OF CONSECRATION (ST. BERNARDINE OF SIENA)
O my beloved St. Joseph, adopt me as thy child. Take charge of my salvation; watch over me day and night; preserve me from the occasions of sin; obtain for me purity of body. Through thy intercession with Jesus, grant me a spirit of sacrifice, humility, self-denial, burning love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and a sweet and tender love for Mary, my mother, Saint Joseph, be with my living, be with me dying, and obtain for me a favorable judgment from Jesus, my merciful savior.
--AMEN