The Fifth Sunday of the Seven Sorrows and Seven Joys of St. Joseph
Posted in: Prayer & Devotions, St. Joseph
SEVEN SORROWS & SEVEN JOYS OF ST. JOSEPH
A just man shall fall seven times and shall rise again.
Proverbs 24:16
The Seven Sundays Devotion to prepare for the feast of St. Joseph on March 19 is a long-standing tradition of our Catholic Church. We begin today on the seventh Sunday before the feast of St. Joseph and as the husband of Our Blessed Mother and the faithful guardian of Jesus Christ as the head of the Holy Family we Honour the seven joys and the seven sorrows that St. Joseph experienced.
SORROW: The Flight into Egypt (St. Matthew 2:13-14) Behold
an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise,
and take the child and his mother, and fly into Egypt: and be there
until I shall tell thee. For Herod will seek to destroy the child.
Joseph arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and fled
into Egypt: and he was there until the death of Herod.
V. JOY: The Toppling of the Idols (Isaiah 19:1) Behold the Lord
will ascend upon a swift cloud, and will enter into Egypt, and the
45 idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of
Egypt shall melt in the midst thereof.
PRAYER: Watchful guardian, bosom-friend of the Incarnate Son
of God, glorious St. Joseph, how didst thou toil to nurture and to
serve the Son of the Most High, especially in the flight into Egypt;
but far greater was thy joy in having with thee God Himself, and
in seeing Egypt s idols fall to the earth!
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, obtain for us to keep aloof from the
infernal tyrant, quitting all dangerous occasions, that all earthly
idols may be cast out from our hearts, and that, employed in the
service of Jesus and Mary, we may ever live for them alone, and
with them calmly die.
Our Father + Hail Mary + Glory Be. Amen
Text used with permission of Jose Rodrigues
TO THEE O BLESSED JOSEPH: Devotions and Prayers to the Virgin Father of Christ
©José A. Rodrigues 10 Aug 2020