St. Joseph, color, prints, mounted on foam board

St.  Joseph, color,  8 x 10  print

From words of Pope Francis:  

He’s a carpenter and he gets the job done, even though he sometimes makes you wait”, Pope Francis said.  

By marrying Mary, Joseph ensures that Jesus is born of the House of David and provides him with an earthly father and with a stable family.  As the legal father of Jesus, he taught his son his skills as a carpenter in the workshop in Nazareth on a daily basis and shares with him, the efforts, the commitment, the satisfactions and problems that come with the job.   The biblical St. Joseph is “a man who doesn’t speak but obeys, a man of tenderness, a man capable of fulfilling his promises so that they become solid, secure,” he said.  He  was not afraid to listen to his dreams like when he was told in a dream not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife and again when he was told to flee with Mary and Jesus to Egypt.  St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the certainty that God never abandons us.

Excerpts from Catholic News Service, March 25, 2017

A boy named Davide asked the pope (Pope Francis), "When you were our age, what helped your friendship with Jesus grow?"

First of all, the pope said, it was his grandparents. One of his grandfathers was a carpenter, who told him Jesus learned carpentry from St. Joseph, so whenever the pope saw his grandfather work, he thought of Jesus. The other grandfather taught him to always say something to Jesus before going to sleep, even if it was just, "Good night, Jesus."

Praying to St Joseph for a spouse can have unexpected results by Mary O'Regan, Catholic News Herald UK

Powerful Novena to St. Joseph

(never known to fail) 

O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen.