NOVENA TO SAINT JOSEPH: DAY 2 – (SAINT JOSEPH, MODEL OF HOPE)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

ACT OF CONTRITION

Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you. I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell, but most of all, because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.

INTRODUCTORY PRAYER

Saint Joseph, I, your unworthy child, greet you. You are the faithful protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate you. You know that I have special confidence in you and that, after Jesus and Mary, I place all my hope of salvation in you, for you are especially powerful with God and will never abandon your faithful servants.

Therefore I humbly invoke you and commend myself, with all who are dear to me and all that belongs to me, to your intercession. I beg of you, by your love for Jesus and Mary, not to abandon me during life and to assist me at the hour of my death. Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, obtain for me a pure, humble, charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the divine Will. Be my guide, my father, and my model through life that I may merit to die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary.

Loving Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the Divine Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special grace I now implore: (Mention your request). Guardian of the Word Incarnate, I feel confident that your prayers on my behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. Amen.

MEDITATION: DAY 2

(SAINT JOSEPH, MODEL OF HOPE)

Joseph, abandoning himself entirely to the care of Divine Providence, glorified God by his life. Among all the virtues, hope is the most pleasing to God, because it is based upon His infinite goodness. In the sufferings of this life, it is the source of the greatest consolation and encouragement.

Joseph hoped in the Lord. He hoped for His grace in the accomplishment of His adorable will; for His help in time of trial; for His light in the difficulties of life. By hope, he detached his heart from the perishable goods and the deceitful affections of this world. In the hour of trial, he sustained his courage by hope and fortified his heart with a peace that nothing could alter.

Let us imitate Saint Joseph. Let us elevate our hopes towards the only veritable and imperishable treasures. Let us trust in the wisdom and solicitude of Divine Providence. Let us rely upon the grace of the Lord; upon His goodness, and upon His power. Let us renew our confidence in the hour of trial. Let us avoid discouragement, which outrages the wisdom and goodness of God.

—-PAUSE FOR A MOMENT—-

DAY TWO PRAYER

Saint Joseph, I honour you as the true husband of Mary. Scripture says: ‘Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, and of her was born Jesus who is called Christ’ (Matt. 1:16). Your marriage to Mary was a sacred contract by which you and Mary gave yourselves to each other. Mary really belonged to you with all she was and had; you had a right to her love and obedience; and no other person so won her esteem, obedience, and love.

You were also the protector and witness of Mary’s virginity. By your marriage, you gave to each other your virginity, and also the mutual right over it — a right to safeguard the other’s virtue. This mutual virginity also belonged to the divine plan of the Incarnation, for God sent His angel to assure you that motherhood and virginity in Mary could be united.

This union of marriage not only brought you into daily familiar association with Mary, the loveliest of God’s creatures but also enabled you to share with her a mutual exchange of spiritual goods. And Mary found her edification in your calm, humble, and deep virtue, purity, and sanctity. What a great honour comes to you from this close union with her whom the Son of God calls Mother and whom He declared the Queen of heaven and earth! Whatever Mary had belonged by right to you also, and this included her Son, even though He had been given to her by God in a wonderful way. Jesus belonged to you as His legal father. Your marriage was the way which God chose to have Jesus introduced into the world, a great divine mystery from which all benefits have come to us.

God the Son confided the guardianship and the support of His Immaculate Mother to your care. Mary’s life was that of the Mother of the Savior, who did not come upon earth to enjoy honours and pleasures but to redeem the world by hard work, suffering, and the cross. You were the faithful companion, support, and comforter of the Mother of Sorrows. How loyal you were to her in poverty, journeying, work, and pain. Your love for Mary was based upon your esteem for her as Mother of God. After God and the Divine Child, you loved no one as much as her. Mary responded to this love. She submitted to your guidance with naturalness and easy grace and childlike confidence. The Holy Spirit Himself was the bond of the great love which united your hearts.

Saint Joseph, I thank God for your privilege of being the virginal husband of Mary. As a token of your own gratitude to God, obtain for me the grace to love Jesus with all my heart, as you did and love Mary with some of the tenderness and loyalty with which you loved her.

As I lay my intentions before you today (Mention your request), grant me the grace to be ever grateful to God for favours received. Guardian of the Word Incarnate, I feel confident that your prayers on my behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. Amen.

Saint Joseph answers Prayers! If Saint Joseph does not grant graces, he would not be Saint Joseph!!

LITANY OF SAINT 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 in heaven,	have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,	have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,	have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,	have mercy on us.
Holy Mary,	pray for us.
Saint Joseph,	pray for us.
Illustrious son of David,	pray for us.
Light of Patriarchs,	pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God,	pray for us.
Guardian of the Redeemer,	pray for us.
Pure Guardian of the Virgin,	pray for us.
Provider for the Son of God,	pray for us.
Zealous defender of Christ,	pray for us.
Servant of Christ,	pray for us.
Minister of salvation,	pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family,	pray for us.
Joseph, most just,	pray for us.
Joseph, most chaste,	pray for us.
Joseph, most prudent,	pray for us.
Joseph, most brave,	pray for us.
Joseph, most obedient,	pray for us.
Joseph, most loyal,	pray for us.
Mirror of patience,	pray for us.
Lover of poverty,	pray for us.
Model for workers,	pray for us.
Glory of family life,	pray for us.
Guardian of virgins,	pray for us.
Cornerstone of families,	pray for us.
Support in difficulties,	pray for us.
Comfort of the sorrowing,	pray for us.
Hope of the sick,	pray for us.
Patron of exiles,	pray for us.
Patron of the afflicted,	pray for us.
Patron of the poor,	pray for us.
Patron of the dying,	pray for us.
Terror of demons,	pray for us.
Protector of the Holy Church,	pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Jesus.

God made him the lord of his household, and prince over all his possessions.

Let us pray. God, in your infinite wisdom and love you chose Joseph to be the husband of Mary, the mother of your Son. May we have the help of his prayers in heaven and enjoy his protection on earth. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

CONCLUDING PRAYERS

TO SAINT JOSEPH’S PATRONAGE

Dear St. Joseph, after the Blessed Virgin Mary, you’re the most powerful intercessor before God. In a sense, Jesus remains obedient to you and will listen to you as you bring my intentions to Him. Because of this, I especially want to entrust myself to your fatherly care, just as Jesus Himself did. And while in the past, I may have brought to you one of my intentions here or there, this time I want to do something new. This time, I want to give you all. In other words, St. Joseph, I’m not here to offer you a regular “novena” for just one of my intentions. Rather, I want to forever entrust to you all of my needs and cares, trusting that you will bring them, with Mary, to your Son, Jesus.

Dear St. Joseph, as the best of fathers, as the one God chose to be the virginal father of Jesus, I believe that you know what I need better than I do myself. So go ahead, St. Joseph. I give you permission to care for me as your child. In doing so, I trust that you will do everything in your power to make my life into something beautiful for God. I trust that you will watch over me and that your prayers will guide me, bless me, and protect me. I trust that you will now care for me with the same love and tenderness with which you cared for Jesus. I’ll confirm this special relationship with you in nine days if it so pleases God.

Saint Joseph, Powerful Intercessor, please pray for me and all my intentions.

MEMORARE

Remember, o most pure spouse of Mary, ever Virgin, my loving protector, Saint Joseph, that no one ever had recourse to your protection or asked for your aid without obtaining relief. Confiding, therefore, in your goodness, I come before you and humbly implore you. Despise not my petitions, foster-father of the Redeemer, but graciously receive them. Amen.

JOSEPH, † do thou cause the gift of Christian hope to descend into my heart. † May it enlighten me, † console me, † defend me. † May it detach me from the earth † so as to elevate my thoughts and my affections towards Heaven. † May it henceforward inspire my whole conduct † and give me the right to die like thee, † saying: “Lord, I have hoped in Thee; † I shall not be confounded.”

 

Blessing+

Through the intercession of Saint Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family, may the Lord bless + us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

👏🏼👏🏼 Great job praying Day 2! Click here for Day 3 Prayer👏🏼👏🏼

Shalom!
Compiled by Fr. Chinaka Justin Mbaeri, OSJ
Paroquia Nossa Senhora da Immaculada Conceição, Paulo Ramos, Maranhão, Brazil
nozickcjoe@gmail.com / fadacjay@gmail.com
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PS: Have you prayed your Rosary today?