Make Time for St. Joseph

Wednesday Dedication to St. Joseph

Holy Mother Church in Her liturgical tradition has ascribed to different days of the week particular focal points for reflection.

We see, for example, that Sundays honor Christ’s Resurrection; Mondays, the Holy Spirit and holy souls in Purgatory. Tuesdays lay claim to the Holy Angels, and Thursdays are devoted to the Blessed Sacrament and thus the Holy Priesthood. Fridays are dedicated to Christ’s Passion and to His Sacred Heart, while Saturdays honor Our Lady, because it was on Holy Saturday that She waited in joyful hope with the fearful disciples for the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

Holy Mother Church has given Wednesday, “the day the week turns on”—as author David Clayton highlights in his book The Little Oratory—to St. Joseph. This means that the middle of the week is the perfect time to reflect on, be grateful for, and intercede on behalf of holy fatherhood, both spiritual and biological.

March: The Month of St. Joseph

In a similar way the Church has assigned a special emphasis to each month of the calendar year. The month of March is known as the Month of St. Joseph and is punctuated by the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary on March 19th. A complete list of the devotions of each month can be found here.

Adopting St. Joseph Traditions in the Home

Individuals and families will choose to observe these devotional times in diverse ways. Regardless of the demands of your state of life or busy schedule, simply being aware of these devotions of Holy Mother Church can give us a “lens” through which to view the workings of God’s grace in our daily lives.

On a practical level, resources like The Little Oratory: a Beginner’s Guide to Praying in the Home by David Clayton and Leila Marie Lawler (Sophia Institute Press, 2014) can be helpful for sanctifying everyday life with a liturgical rhythm, thus making the family home a place of prayer in union with the Holy Family.

The Year of St. Joseph in the Diocese of Charlotte is an ideal time to “go to Joseph” for all the help we need to be holy. Even small details like adding the invocation, “St. Joseph, pray for us!” following grace before meals, marking the top of your notepad or homework assignment with “JMJ”, or setting an alarm on your phone to spend a moment with the holy Patriarch can be effective reminders of the closeness of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.