NOVENA TO SAINT JOSEPH: DAY 7 – (SAINT JOSEPH, MODEL OF PRUDENCE)

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 7

(SAINT JOSEPH, MODEL OF PRUDENCE)

Let us honour in Saint Joseph the faithful and prudent servant to whom Almighty God entrusted the care of His family. Prudence inspired Saint Joseph to adopt as the foundation and rule of his conduct, the great principles of faith; God, the end of man in this world; God, the reward of man in eternity.

Remembering that life is short and uncertain, that upon a moment may depend our eternity, Saint Joseph wisely employs his time. He is careful to make holy use of his senses and his other faculties in order to give to his Lord and Master a faithful account of the talents entrusted to him; he watches over the world around him, yielding to the world in the measure willed by God, but not giving himself up to it. He makes within himself a retreat accessible to God alone and impenetrable to creatures.

—-PAUSE FOR A MOMENT—-

DAY SEVEN PRAYER

Saint Joseph, you devoted your time at Nazareth to the work of a carpenter. It was the Will of God that you and your foster-Son should spend your days together in manual labour. What a beautiful example you set for the working classes!

It was especially for the poor, who compose the greater part of mankind, that Jesus came upon earth, for in the synagogue of Nazareth, He read the words of Isaiah and referred them to Himself: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor…’ (Luke 4:18). It was God’s Will that you should be occupied with work common to poor people, that in this way Jesus Himself might ennoble it by inheriting it from you, His foster-father, and by freely embracing it. Thus our Lord teaches us that for the humbler class of workmen, He has in store His richest graces, provided they live content in the place God’s Providence has assigned them, and remain poor in spirit for He said, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ (Matt. 5:3).

The kind of work to which you devoted your time in the workshop of Nazareth offered you many occasions of practising humility. You were privileged to see each day the example of humility which Jesus practised — a virtue most pleasing to Him. He chose for His earthly surroundings not the courts of princes nor the halls of the learned, but a little workshop of Nazareth. Here you shared for many years the humble and hidden toiling of the God-Man. What a touching example for the worker of today!

While your hands were occupied with manual work, your mind was turned to God in prayer. From the Divine Master, who worked along with you, you learned to work in the presence of God in the spirit of prayer, for as He worked He adored His Father and recommended the welfare of the world to Him, Jesus also instructed you in the wonderful truths of grace and virtue, for you were in close contact with Him who said of Himself, ‘I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.’

As you were working at your trade, you were reminded of the greatness and majesty of God, who, as the wisest Architect, formed this vast universe with wonderful skill and limitless power.

The light of divine faith that filled your mind, did not grow dim when you saw Jesus working as a carpenter. You firmly believed that the saintly Youth working beside you was truly God’s own Son.

Saint Joseph, I thank God for your privilege of being able to work side by side with Jesus in the carpenter shop of Nazareth. As a token of your own gratitude to God, obtain for me the grace to respect the dignity of labour and ever to be content with the position in life, however lowly, in which it may please Divine Providence to place me. Teach me to work for God and with God in the spirit of humility and prayer, as you did, so that I may offer my toil in union with the sacrifice of Jesus in the Mass as a reparation for my sins, and gain rich merit for heaven. 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.

Faithful and prudent servant, † watch over my weakness and my inexperience; † obtain for me that prudence which reminds me of my end, † which directs my paths, † and which protects me from every danger. Amen.

 

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 7! Click here for Day 8 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?