Day 23

Lover of Poverty, Pray for Us

“Truly, I doubt not that the angels, wondering and adoring, came thronging in countless multitudes to that poor workshop to admire the humility of him who guarded that dear and divine child, and laboured at his carpenter's trade to support the son and the mother who were committed to his care.” -St Francis de Sales

What was the financial status of the Holy Family? To answer this question, we need to look no further than the New Testament. The Holy Family was poor. Very poor. When the Holy Family journeyed to the Temple in Jerusalem to participate in the Jewish purification ritual for a new mother, St Joseph could not afford to purchase a lamb for a burnt offering (see Lev 12:6-7). Lambs were expensive. St Joseph could only offer a poor man's gift, that is, two turtledoves or two young pigeons (see Lev 12:8).

The Holy Family lived on Divine Providence. Had Baby Jesus not been given gold, frankincense and myrrh by the Wise Men in Bethlehem (see Mt 2:1 1), it is quite probable that St Joseph would not have had the money to purchase food and other necessities for his family when they travelled to Egypt. When they left Nazareth for Bethlehem to fulfil the census, they had not brought many things with them because they expected to return to Nazareth. The gifts of the Wise Men were God's providential way of taking care of the Holy Family.

When Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 5:3), he meant that those who are detached from the things of this world are not far from the Kingdom of Heaven. When a person is detached from the things of this world, poverty is understood to be a virtue. St Joseph is called the "Lover of Poverty" because he relied on Divine Providence for all his needs and being detached from material things he was truly blessed in spirit and was rich in the sight of God.

Prayer

O Lover of Poverty, St Joseph. Teach us to grow in the trust of Our Lord. Help us to live detached from material things and abandon ourselves to Divine Providence. Obtain for us the grace to work hard and lived content in poverty. Let not our relationship with God depend on the material things we possess, rather let our attitude be like Job, and say that “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21). Amen.

Litany of St Joseph

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of 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.

Noble Offspring of David, pray for us.

Light of Patriarchs, pray for us.

Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.

Chaste Guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.

Foster-Father of the Son of God, pray for us.

Zealous Defender of Christ, 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 Courageous, pray for us.

Joseph Most Obedient, pray for us.

Joseph Most Faithful, pray for us.

Mirror of Patience, pray for us.

Lover of Poverty, pray for us.

Model of Workmen, pray for us.

Glory of Domestic Life, pray for us.

Guardian of Virgins, pray for us.

Pillar of Families, pray for us.

Comfort of the Afflicted, pray for us.

Hope of the Sick, 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 Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

V. He has made him lord of his household,

R. And prince over all his possessions.

Let us pray. O God, who, in your loving providence, chose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most Holy Mother, grant us the favor of having him for our intercessor in heaven whom on earth we venerate as our protector. You, who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

Source: Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father, Fr. Donald Calloway MIC

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