Prayers in Honor of the Seven Joys and Sorrows of Saint Joseph 2
(May be used for the 7 Sundays in Honour of St. Joseph)
(Jan 31, Feb 7, 14, 21, 28, March 7, & 14, 2021)
Chaste Spouse of the Immaculate Mother of Jesus! Glorious St. Joseph! Permit me to commemorate the mental agony which thou didst endure with regards to thy sacred spouse; deeming thyself under the painful necessity of leaving her, until the angel banished thy doubts, and filled thee with unspeakable joy, by revealing the mystery of the Incarnation: by thy anguish and holy joy on this occasion, obtain for me, I implore, both now and in my agony, the joy of a good conscience, sincere charity towards all men, and the consolation of dying with thee in the embraces of Jesus and Mary. Say one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
O thrice happy Joseph! Deeply impressed with a sense of sweet and sacred duties which, as a father, thou wert called to render to the “Word Incarnate”, permit me to commemorate the sorrow which filled thy breast on beholding the Divine Infant lying on straw, in a manger, weeping, shivering with cold, and enduring all the privations of the most abject poverty. But how great was thy consolation shortly after, to hear the canticle of peace intoned by the blessed spirits, and to witness the kings of the earth humbly prostrate at the Infant’s feet, while their countenances beamed with love, joy, and admiration, and offering their most precious gifts to Him whom they acknowledged as heaven’s King! By thy anguish and holy joy on this occasion, obtain that my heart may always be a pure and holy sanctuary, wherein Jesus will love to dwell by His grace and His real Presence in the adorable Eucharist; and that, when the trials of life and the shades of death shall have passed away, my ears may be enchanted with the harmonies of the heavenly choirs, and that I may enter into the possession of those joys that neither eye has seen, ear heard, nor the human heart conceived. Amen. Say one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be.
Thou wert, O great Saint Joseph! a man according to God’s own heart, for His law was thy meditation. Permit me to commemorate the acute sensibility of thy tender heart, when, by the law of circumcision, it became thy painful duty to cause the first effusion of the Precious Blood of the innocent “Lamb”. The sword which pierced His infant flesh wounded thy heart; but the sweet Name of “Jesus”, which in accordance with the revelation of the angel, thou didst bestow on Him, imparted a holy and soothing unction to thy soul. By thy anguish and holy joy on this occasion, pray thy blessed Son, that being purified in the laver of His Precious Blood, and all inordinate inclinations being circumcised, I may have the sweet and saving name of “Jesus” always engraved on my heart, and be so happy as to invoke It with great love and efficacy at the hour of death. Amen. Say one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be.
O faithful St. Joseph! to whom the mysterious secrets of our redemption were confided, permit me to commemorate the sorrow which filled thy afflicted heart on hearing Simeon’s prophecy concerning the sufferings of Jesus and Mary. But how much wert thou comforted on hearing immediately after that the child Jesus was destined for the Resurrection and Salvation of many! By thy anguish and holy joy on this occasion, obtain for me grace to participate in the sorrows of Mary, and the bitter Passion of her beloved Son, that by patient suffering and heartfelt compunction, I may one day rise to a glorious resurrection, through the merits of Jesus Christ, and the intercession of His most Blessed Mother. Amen. Say one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
O zealous guardian of the Son of God and pious comforter of His dear Mother! Permit me to commemorate the trials and anxiety thou hast undergone in their service, but especially in thy flight into Egypt, and the hardship of thy exile, for which, however, thou wert in some degree consoled, by seeing the idols fall prostrate in the presence of the only true God. By thy sufferings and holy joy on this occasion, obtain for me, I beseech thee, grace to destroy all the idols of self-love, to which I may have erected an altar in my heart, and that henceforth, devoting all the energies of my soul, to the service of thee and Mary, I may live and die as thee, in union with them. Amen. Say one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Angel of the earth! Vigilant guardian of Virgin of virgins and her Blessed Babe! Permit me to commemorate thy painful anxiety for their safety, when, on returning home, thou didst find the throne occupied by a tyrant no less cruel than Herod; but soon reassured by an angel, thou didst joyfully re-establish thy family in the holy house of Nazareth. By thy anguish and holy joy on this occasion, obtain for me, I most earnestly implore, the great blessings of interior peace, and a pure conscience during life, and that I may die invoking the sweet Names of Jesus and Mary. Amen. Say one Our Father ,Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Mirror of Sanctity! Glorious St. Joseph! Permit me to commemorate the affliction which thou didst experience on losing the Child Jesus, and the agony of thy grief upon finding thy search useless after the space of three days. But how inexpressible was thy joy upon finding thy precious Treasure in the house of prayer! By thy poignant anguish and ineffable joy on this occasion, obtain for me grace never to be separated from Jesus by grievous sin. And should I have the misfortune to forfeit His friendship, even partially, by venial sin, may I never suffer the day to close until I shall have made my peace with God; but especially at the hour of death, may I be closely united to Him by love, confidence and perfect compunction. Amen. Say one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Pray for us, O holy Saint Joseph,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, that we may be helped by the merits of thy most holy Mother’s spouse; and that what of ourselves we cannot obtain, may be given us through his intercession. This we ask of Thee, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.