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[…] reprinted with permission from The Catholic Gentleman […]
A blog for Catholic men that seeks to encourage virtue, the pursuit of holiness and the art of true masculinity.
5 Reasons Every Man Should Love St. Joseph
February 16, 2015
St. Joseph often slips under the radar because of his quiet demeanor and hidden life. However, he has much to teach us about growing in holiness. Here are 5 reasons to discover St. Joseph.
1. He is the Patron Saint of Workers.
As men work takes up a great portion of our lives. Often we struggle to work in a way that honors God. St. Joseph can teach us how to work well if we ask him. One way to do this is to start your work day with a prayer to St. Joseph.
St. Joseph is also good to invoke if you are having difficulty finding a job. He was commissioned to provide for the Son of God, so he fully understands the pressure men face to provide for their families. In my own life, I have seen the power of St. Joseph’s intercession in finding my friends jobs.
2. His Intercession is Powerful.
A seminarian once told me of the powerful intercession of St. Joseph. He explained that whenever he needed something, he asked for St. Joseph’s help, and his needs were met. Over the past few years, I have witnessed this in my own life. St. Joseph has answered many of my prayers ,whether it be finding a job or starting a family. In her autobiography, St. Teresa of Avila gives us some insight into why St. Joseph’s intercession is so powerful.
To other saints the Lord seems to have given grace to succor us in some of our necessities, but of this glorious saint my experience is that he succors us in them all, and that the Lord wishes to teach us that, as He was Himself subject to him on earth, (for, being His guardian and being called His father, he could command Him) just so in Heaven He still does all that he asks.
3. He Models Fatherhood for Us.
God the Father chose St. Joseph from all men to be the foster-father of Jesus. That truly says something about his character, for he was entrusted with leading, providing for and protecting the Son of God and God’s greatest creature, Our Lady. Joseph faithfully served the Holy Family and protected them from danger so that they could fulfill God’s mission.
St. Joseph taught Jesus in his humanity how to be a man. No doubt he taught him how to be a faithful Jew, as well as the trade of carpentry. He models well for us fathers how to be the spiritual leaders of our families. Like St. Joseph, we are called to show the love of God the Father to our wives and children.
4. He was an obedient man
Every time God asked him to do something, Joseph was eager to say yes. Whether that was taking Mary as his wife, going to Bethlehem for the census, or fleeing with his family to Egypt, Joseph always followed God’s will immediately. In an age where we are told to do things our own way, Joseph is a great reminder that true greatness is found in following God’s will, not our own.
5. He was a man of silence
We never hear a word from St. Joseph in the Bible for he was a man of great silence. Because of this silence, he was able to hear God’s voice and discern his will for the Holy Family. In an age of noise and many words, Joseph reminds us that if we wish to hear God’s voice, we must quiet our hearts and enter into the silence.
Go to Joseph!
These are just a few of the many reasons why every Catholic man should develop devotion to St. Joseph. With his feast day coming up in March, it is the perfect time to learn about this great saint and ask for his intercession to live a holy life.
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. Thomas Aquinas
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[…] Read the source: https://catholicgentleman.com/2015/02/5-reasons-every-man-love-st-joseph/ […]
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[…] Happy feast, today, of St. Joseph the Worker: “In every type of labor we are obeying the command of God given in Genesis 2:15 and repeated in the responsory for the Office of Readings. The responsory for the Canticle of Zechariah says that “St. Joseph faithfully practiced the carpenter’s trade. He is a shining example for all workers.” In particular let us pray for St. Joseph’s intercession for husbands and fathers! […]
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[…] Why We Should All Have a Devotion to Him […]
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[…] 5 Reasons Every Man Should Love St. Joseph […]
Even more forgotten than St. Joseph: St. John the Baptist as a patron for men. Years ago I did a blogpost on that: http://monkallover.blogspot.com/2007/06/a-patron-saint-for-men-john-baptist.html
Totally agree with this. Remembers me when i was studying at Montreal University and I was spending some of my afternoon at the St Joseph’s Oratory, our neighbour. It always impressed me that an humble and frail man, Fr (now Saint) André, was able to cure so many and to build this majestic church against all odds with the help of his friend Joseph. Yes, truly, the intercession of St Joseph is powerfull ! Now, as a father, i ask him frequently to help me in guiding my family to Jesus. Thanks for the post !
Your timing is impeccable! Thank you!
Thanks, guys! Glad that you enjoyed the article.
St. Alfonsus de’ Liguori paints a marvelous fresco of St. Joseph’s power of intercession to Christ.
“When Egypt was laid waste by the great famine, Pharaoh told his people, Ite ad Joseph! – Go to Joseph! […] Above all, I most strongly urge you to ask him for three special graces: forgiveness of sins, love of Jesus Christ, and a happy death. ”
In times of Euthanasia is there anything better than the grace of Happy Death?
There is signs coming from him
St Joe has always been a huge intercessor for my family. With my two brothers having survived cancer and now growing happy families, I’d say he comes through, and I don’t think I can give the Oratory a high enough rating.
I love St Joseph. No other Saint has experienced being with the Son of God since infancy and so with Mama Mary.Such an enviable position!
Thank You St.Joseph once again. Sorry I forget about the power of your intercession. Thanks once again!!!!
6th reason > He was the perfect husband.
Remembering him as my Patron Saint, I called out to him in a time of need and the response was immediate and unforgettable.
Honest to goodness this is true.
This past summer, I put a new ceiling in my basement family room; there had been a suspended ceiling there before. Since this planked ceiling was going to be attached almost directly to the joists, I knew it would be a major challenge.
Our house is solid, but there are so many irregularities that I have had to adjust for over the years when I’ve done my many projects. For this particular one, I knew that I was going to have to deal with the underside of joists that were in no way flat or level. Rather than consult the internet for an easy solution, I used a lot of shims and even more prayer to St. Joseph the Carpenter. “Please help me, St. Joseph, with this ceiling. It needs to be flat, and I don’t have the skills to do it on my own.” Over and over, I prayed to that effect. As I fell asleep at night, I imagined solutions and ways to make that ceiling level and even..
Somehow, with all the shims — I had to adjust more than an inch to an inch-and-a-half in some places — the ceiling ended up looking great. Is it perfectly flat? I truly don’t know. Perfectly level? I don’t know that either. I could check, but I’m afraid to. All I do know that it looks flat and true to the eye, and almost everyone who sees this ceiling admires how it turned out and how it looks.
I’d love to credit my “fantastic” DIY skills, but in truth St. Joseph was directing me every step of the way. He is not only a great carpenter, he is also a great intercessor.
I couldn’t have done this job without him.