Early Morning

Thank you all so much for your prayers. My husband just left for work and I couldn't really fall back sleep, so here I am. Since yesterday I've been saying a prayer that has helped me calm my worries. Each time I'm in the bathroom and I could possibly see the start of my period, I've been saying, "Lord Jesus, walk me through this, I'm not strong enough". And I've also been talking to St. Joseph more and asking him to beg Jesus for a healthy pregnancy for my husband and I. I really don't have anything else to do but wait.

I must say, I'm so happy I started praying again to St. Joseph. I prayed to him a lot when I was single and even asked him for specific qualities that I desired in my future spouse. I think I even wrote down a whole list of things I hoped my husband would be. Patient, generous, loving, funny, gentle, smart, hardworking and so forth. Well, I'm happy to report that my husband is all of those things and so much more. I really couldn't have picked a better person for myself than my dear hubby. And I thank St. Joseph for that. He also helped me when I was struggling with anxiety before my wedding. I prayed fervently to him every day. I brought a pocketbook sized prayer book, "Favorite Prayers to St. Joseph", into work and was able to read through some of my favorite prayers each day. I am confident that he helped me to be fully ready for my wedding day and have a peace beyond anything I dreamed. For some reason, I kind of became lazy about praying to him. I guess it's really true that when things are going well, it's easy for a life of prayer to atrophy. I once heard that in the spiritual life, there is no "staying the same". We're always either growing closer to God or falling farther away. That struck me, because it reminded me that the spiritual life takes work and constant striving to grow closer to God, for we don't stay on a horizontal plane. We're always moving in on direction or the other. Isn't that something? Back to St. Joseph, I just love him so much. He is a humble Saint, not having much said about him in the bible, but the mere fact that he was chosen above any other man, to guard and protect Mary and Jesus while on earth, is just mind-blowing. God must think very highly of him and, since he was foster father to our Lord, how can Jesus refuse him any request?

Here are some of my favorite quotes written about him:

Words of St. Thomas Aquinas:

"Some Saints are privileged to extend to us their patronage with particular efficacy in certain needs, but not in others; but our holy patron St. Joseph has the power to assist us in all cases, in every necessity, in every undertaking."

St. Teresa's "Guarantee". Words of St. Teresa of Avila:

"To other Saints Our Lord seems to have given power to succor us in some special necessity--but to this glorious Saint, I know by experience, He has given the power to help us in all. Our Lord would have us understand that as He was subject to St. Joseph on earth--for St. Joseph, bearing the title of father and being His guardian, could command Him--so now in Heaven Our Lord grants all his petitions. I have asked others to recommend themselves to St. Joseph, and they, too, know the same this by experience..." -Autobiography, VI, 9

I thought this one was pretty neat, especially since the Feast of the Annunciation is this Sunday:

The Vision of St. Gertrud

Once, on the feast of the Annunciation, St. Gertrude had a vision during which the Heavenly Mother revealed to her the glory of her spouse, St. Joseph, in order to awaken in the Saint a greater love for him and to encourage her to have confidence in his intercession. Of this vision St. Gertrude wrote:

"I saw Heaven opened and St. Joseph sitting upon a magnificent throne. I felt myself wonderfully affected when, each time his name was mentioned, all the Saints made a profound inclination toward him, showing by the serenity and sweetness of their looks that they rejoiced with him on account of his exalted dignity."

And finally, if the above hasn't convinced you to pray to St. Joseph more, here are words of St. Alphonsus Liguori:

"Since we all must die, we should cherish a special devotion to St. Joseph, that he may obtain for us a happy death. All Christians regard him as the advocate of the dying who had honored him during their life, and that for three reasons:

'First, because Jesus Christ loved him not only as a friend, but as a father, and on this account his mediation is far more efficacious than that of any other Saint.

Second, because St. Joseph has obtained special power against the evil spirits, who tempt us with redoubled vigor at the hour of death.

Third, the assistance given St. Joseph at his death by Jesus and Mary obtained for him the right to secure a holy and peaceful death for his servants. Hence, if they invoke him at the hour of death he will not only help them, but he will also obtain for them the assistance of Jesus and Mary.'"

Well, that's all for now. I'm thankful to a friend who emailed me on his feast day with that special prayer I posted a couple days ago. St. Joseph has helped me so much in the past, I'm looking forward to getting back into a habit of praying to him. I hope this post has encouraged you to remember him when you pray, too! I love thinking that Jesus cannot refuse any of his requests!

Wow, this post is really long. Time to go.