Yesterday, I came across a wonderful article that I am going to start sharing with my young engaged couples. The article is titled, “IF DAD TAKES FAITH IN GOD SERIOUSLY, SO WILL HIS CHILDREN” and contains some powerful statistics showing the invaluable role a father’s faith plays in his family—the religious practice of the father of the family greatly determines the future attendance at or absence from church of the children. If Dad takes faith in God seriously then the message to their children is that God should be taken seriously, for a father is to be a spiritual leader in his family.
For this reason, I believe, Our Father in heaven, chose Joseph to be spouse of Mary and foster-father of Our Blessed Lord.
Joseph is model of righteousness for all husbands and fathers. One of my favorite litanies calls him, “Joseph most just, Joseph most chaste, Joseph most prudent, Joseph most brave, Diligent protector of Christ, Guardian of Virgins, Pillar of families, Patron of the Dying, Terror of Demons”
Fatherhood and Christian Manliness are certainly under attack in the present age. Of course, so is motherhood and authentic Christian femininity. The devil certainly attacks us on multiple fronts. A restored devotion to the righteousness of St. Joseph is a powerful counterattack in the spiritual battle.
The US leads the world in the number of fatherless families, and that is having a terrible effect on our society. For as the Catechism states: “the authority, stability, and the life of relationships within the family constitute the foundations for freedom, security, and fraternity within society”—in other words, healthy families lead to a healthy society; disintegrated families lead to a disintegration of society. Strong Christian fathers therefore must protect their families from being infected with selfishness, addictions, violence, materialism, and godlessness of our culture.
Pope Pius IX proclaimed Saint Joseph who was chosen by the Heavenly Father as protector of the Holy Family to be the patron of the Universal Church, meaning every Christian does well in looking to patronage, the example and prayers of St. Joseph—his sacrifice for his family, his trust in God, his faithful observance of the commandments, his quiet before God.
Joseph has a deep love and care for each of us, and he will show us, if we allow him, a way of deeply loving and following Jesus Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
Through the intercession of St. Joseph, husband of Mary, may the Lord continue to bless the love of husbands and wives through the sacrament of marriage and bring healing and peace to all troubled marriages.
Through the intercession of St. Joseph, foster-father of Our Blessed Lord, may all fathers, foster fathers, adopted fathers, step-fathers, and spiritual fathers, may they teach their children well in the ways of faith, be models and righteous examples of faith and charity for their children, and know always the respect and obedience of their children.
Through the intercession of St. Joseph, terror of demons, that all those afflicted by any sort of demonic obsession or spiritual attacks may be delivered through the mercies of the Father.
Through the intercession of St. Joseph, patron of a peaceful death, that all those who lay dying or who will die today, may be consoled by the Father’s care.
No comments:
Post a Comment