St Joseph's Offerings at the Circumcision of Jesus

Eight days after the birth of Christ, St Joseph would have the duty to hand the Child over to be circumcised, as was prescribed by the Law. At this ceremony, St Joseph’s heart would offer three hidden sacrifices to the Heavenly Father on behalf of his Son.

The first sacrifice would be the Infant Jesus, though entirely sinless and perfect, assuming the degradation of a sinner.  He did this by submitting himself to the rite of circumcision which was instituted as a form of remedy to make peace between the sinner and the Lord.  St Joseph did not have to submit his Son to this, since Jesus himself had no original sin in him, but out of humility he abided by the Law.  Joseph offered up the humility of the Divine Child.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

– 2 Corinthians 5:21

The second offering of St Joseph was the willingness to allow Christ to suffer the pain of the circumcision.  This first cut into the tender flesh of the Jesus would be for him his first physical suffering at the hands of another, but with St Joseph there to comfort him.  Years later at his Passion, Jesus would not be granted consolation for his pain until he breathed his last.  He would be helpless and without comfort.

Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none.  – Psalm 69:20

The third sacrifice at this event would be the shedding of blood - fully displaying the human side of Our Lord. St Joseph would make the first offering of the Most Precious Blood in reparation for the many offences committed against God. 

This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.  – St Matthew 26:28

After this sorrowful course, the heart of St Joseph would now be infused with joy as he had just fulfilled his first official act as father in Jewish society.  Since the beginning of time Joseph was chosen, just as Mary was, to play an important role in the history of mankind. Joseph was the first man to utter the name of Our Saviour, his lips having the honour of pronouncing the Most Holy Name of Jesus!  How the Heavens must have rejoiced at this moment as the Name of Salvation was spoken!

And when eight days were fulfilled for his circumcision, his name was called Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.  – St Luke 2:21

The Praises of St Joseph

(Taken from "St Joseph: A Treasury", Page. 171)

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." - St. Matthew 5:8

O Holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed by thy soul, which was adorned with all the virtues and gifts of the Holy Ghost. 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
 

O Holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be thine intellect, which was full of the most sublime knowledge of God and was enlightened with revelations. 

Glory be to ...

O Holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be thy will, which all inflamed with love for Jesus and Mary and always perfectly conformable to the Divine Will.

Glory be to ...

O Holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be thine eyes, to which it was granted to look continually upon Jesus and Mary.

Glory be to ...

O Holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be thine ears, which merited to hear the sweet words of Jesus and Mary.

Glory be to ...

O Dear St. Joseph, ever blessed be thy tongue, which continually praised God and with profound humility and reverence conversed with Jesus and Mary.

Glory be to ...

O Chaste St. Joseph, ever blessed be thy most pure and loving heart, with which thou didst ardently love Jesus and Mary.

Glory be to ...

O Holy Joseph, ever blessed be thy thoughts, words and actions, each and all of which ever tended to the service of Jesus and Mary.

Glory be to ...

O Holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be all the moments of thy life, which thou didst spend in the service of Jesus and Mary.

Glory be to ...

O Protector St. Joseph, ever blessed be that moment of thy life in which thou didst most sweetly die in the arms of Jesus and Mary. 

Glory be to ...

O Glorious St. Joseph, ever blessed be that moment in which thou didst enter into the eternal joys of Heaven. 

Glory be to ...

O Happy St. Joseph, ever blessed in eternity be every moment in which, until now, in union with all the Saints of Heaven, thou hast enjoyed the incomprehensible bliss of union with God, with Jesus and Mary. 

Glory be to ...

O Dear Protector! Be ever blessed by  me and by all creatures, for all eternity, with all the blessings which the Most Holy Trinity bestowed upon thee and with all the benedictions given thee by Jesus and Mary and by the whole Church. 

Glory be to ...

O Thrice Holy Joseph, blessed in soul and body, in life and death, on earth and in Heaven. Obtain for me, a poor sinner, a share in thy blessings, the grace to imitate thee ardently, and to love and faithfully serve Jesus, Mary, and thyself, and especially the happiness to die in thy holy arms. 

In the Name of the Father + and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

Feast of St Joseph the Worker

In 1955 Pope Pius XII instituted the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker to be celebrated on May 1st.

:+: Prayer to St Joseph Composed by Venerable Pius XII :+:

 

O glorious Patriarch, Saint Joseph, humble and just artisan of Nazareth, thou hast given to all Christians and particularly to us an example of a perfect life through diligent labor and admirable union with Jesus and Mary.

Assist us in our daily work in order that we, Catholic artisans, may also see in it an effective means of glorifying God, of sanctifying ourselves, and of being a useful member in the society in which we live. These should be the highest ideals for all our actions.

O dearest Protector, obtain for us from the Lord humility and simplicity of heart, love for our work and kindness towards our fellow-laborers; conformity to God's will in the unavoidable trials of this life together with joy in bearing them; recognition of our specific social mission and a sense of responsibility; the spirit and discipline and prayer; docility and respectfulness towards superiors; the spirit of brotherhood towards our equals; charity and indulgence with our dependents.

Accompany us in times of prosperity when the opportunity is given for an honest enjoyment of the fruits of our labors; sustain us in our hours of sadness, when Heaven seems to be shut in our regard, and even the very tools with which our hands toil appear to rebel against us.

Grant that, in imitation of thee, we may keep our eyes fixed on our Mother, Mary, thy dearest Spouse, who as she spun silently in a corner of thy shop would let the sweetest smile course over her lips. Besides, may we never take our eyes off Jesus, Who was busily occupied with thee at the carpenters bench, in order that we in like manner may lead on earth a peaceful and a holy life, a prelude to the life of eternal happiness that awaits us in Heaven for ever and ever. + Amen.

 

Pope Leo XIII, Quamquam Pluries "For Joseph, of royal blood, united by marriage to the greatest and holiest of women, reputed the father of the Son of God, passed his life in labor, and won by the toil of the artisan the needful support of his family. It is, then, true that the condition of the lowly has nothing shameful in it, and the work of the laborer is not only not dishonoring, but can, if virtue be joined to it, be singularly ennobled. Joseph, content with his slight possessions, bore the trials consequent on a fortune so slender, with greatness of soul, in imitation of his Son, who having put on the form of a slave, being the Lord of life, subjected himself of his own free-will to the spoliation and loss of everything."  

 
St. Peter Julian Eymard -  At Nazareth Joseph's days were filled with work which necessarily took him away at times from his Infant God. During these hours Mary replaced him, but when evening brought him home again, he would pass the entire night in adoration, never tiring, only too happy for the chance to contemplate the hidden riches of Jesus' divinity. For he pierced the rough garments the Child wore, until his faith touched the Sacred Heart. In profound adoration he united himself to the special grace of each one of the events in the life of Jesus. 

Blessed Pope John Paul II, Redemptoris Custos  -  Work was the daily expression of love in the life of the Family of Nazareth. The Gospel specifies the kind of work Joseph did in order to support his family: he was a carpenter. This simple word sums up Joseph's entire life. For Jesus, these were hidden years, the years to which Luke refers after recounting the episode that occurred in the Temple: "And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them" (Luke 2:51). This "submission" or obedience of Jesus in the house of Nazareth should be understood as a sharing in the work of Joseph. Having learned the work of his presumed father, he was known as "the carpenter's son." If the Family of Nazareth is an example and model for human families, in the order of salvation and holiness, so too, by analogy, is Jesus' work at the side of Joseph the carpenter… At the workbench where he plied his trade together with Jesus, Joseph brought human work closer to the mystery of the Redemption.

 

St. Josemaria Escrivá - Joseph was a craftsman from Galilee, just one man among many. What had life to offer to someone from a forgotten village like Nazareth? Nothing but work: work every day, with the same constant effort. And at the end of the day, a poor little house in which to rest and regain energy for the next day. But the name Joseph, in Hebrew, means "God will add." God adds unsuspected dimensions to the holy lives of those who do his will. He adds the one important dimension which gives meaning to everything, the divine dimension. To the humble and holy life of Joseph he added — if I may put it this way — the lives of the Virgin Mary and of Jesus, our Lord. 

 

:+: St. Joseph Model of Workers Composed by St Pius X :+:

O glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations, to work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God, to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties, to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thine example, O Patriarch, St. Joseph. Such shall be my watchword in life and in death. + Amen. 

 

St. Joseph Patron of Workers by Blessed John XXIII Glorious Saint Joseph, who disguised the incomparable and sovereign dignity of guardian of Jesus and Mary under the humble appearance of an artisan and with your work provided for their daily sustenance, give your protection to those who are especially entrusted to your care. You know their sufferings and their anxieties, because you shared them yourself by the side of Jesus and his Mother.

Do not allow them, under the burden of so many worries, to forget the end for which God created them; do not allow the poison of mistrust to conquer their immortal souls. Remind all workers that in the fields, in the factories, in the mines and in the laboratories of science, they are never alone in their joys and in their sorrow, but that Jesus is always with them, to wipe the perspiration from their brow, and to ennoble their toil. Teach them to transform their labor, as you did, into an exalted instrument of sanctification. + Amen. 

 

 

ST JOSEPH: PREFECT ADORER OF CHRIST

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Excerpts from the writings of St. Peter Julian Eymard

 
In profound adoration St. Joseph united himself to the special grace of each one of the  events in the life of Jesus.  He adored our Lord in His hidden life and in His Passion and Death; he adored in advance the Eucharistic Christ in His tabernacles: there was nothing that our Lord could hide from Saint Joseph. Aside from the Blessed Virgin, Saint Joseph was the first and most perfect adorer of our Lord.

How greatly the Word Incarnate was glorified by the adoration of Mary and Joseph as they atoned for the indifference and ingratitude of His creatures! Saint Joseph joined with Mary in adoration and united himself to Christ, Whose heart surged with sentiments of adoration, love and praise for the Father and of charity for men. 

Saint Joseph’s adoration kept pace with every stage of our Lord’s life, drawing upon the grace, the spirit, and the virtue of each mystery.  In the Incarnation he adored the self-annihilation of the Son of God; at Bethlehem, the poverty; at Nazareth, the silence, the apparent weakness, the obedience, and all the other virtues of Christ.  He knew them well and he grasped clearly the reason why Christ practiced them—for the love and glory of His Heavenly Father.

Faith, humility, purity, and love—these were the keynotes of his adoration.  No saint ever vibrated with a more ardent faith or bowed down in deeper humility; no angel ever glistened with brighter purity; and as for his love, neither saint nor angel ever has or ever will come within range of his burning charity which expressed itself so fully in devotedness.

Because his faith was so strong, Joseph's mind and heart bowed in perfect adoration. Imitate his faith as you kneel before the humble Christ annihilated in the Eucharist.  Pierce the veil which covers this furnace of love and adore the hidden God.  At the same time respect the veil of love and make the immolation of your mind and heart your most beautiful homage of faith.

Among the graces which Jesus gave to His foster-father—and He flooded him with the graces attached to every one of His mysteries—is that special to an adorer of the Blessed Sacrament.  That is the one we must ask of St. Joseph.  Have confidence, strong confidence in him.  Take him as the patron and the model of your life of adoration. From close union with this holy adorer I shall learn to adore our Lord and to live in intimacy with Him.  I shall then be the Joseph of the Eucharist as he was the Joseph of Nazareth.