Wednesday, July 25, 2012

St. Joseph Working for You

Folks will hear me speak of St. Joseph often. And that's because he is a very important Saint to have around. St. Joseph is what I call the perfect ideal man. He's the loyal husband, protecting father, dependable hard worker, and in my eyes the glue that keeps the family together due to his loyalty, patience, love, and understanding. Over the years I have learned many inner secrets of St. Joseph and how it has reflected in my life. You can call on St. Joseph for many reasons from protecting a child, helping a father in a custody battle, send him to aid a special man in your life, find or sell a home, or to hunt down a job and keep you working. Traditionally, in Catholic tradition he is called on to aid in a peaceful transition in dying. He has two feast days. The first is March 19th for the day of St. Joseph, the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The second is May 1st for St. Joseph the Worker. The month of March and every Wednesday is are sacred to St. Joseph. Some offerings to St. Joseph are glasses of water, plant water collected from a peace lily or other growing lily from the home, fava beans, yellow candles, lilies, workman tools, bread and wine, cakes, cookies, fish dishes and certain traditional Italian dishes such as Minestrone, and zeppoles pastries.

Prayer to St. Joseph the Worker
Composed by Pope St. Pius X
O glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations, to work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God, to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties, to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thine example, O Patriarch, St. Joseph. Such shall be my watchword in life and in death. Amen.

Prayer to St. Joseph to Obtain a Special Favor
O blessed Saint Joseph, tenderhearted father, faithful guardian of Jesus, chaste spouse of the Mother of God, we pray and beseech thee to offer to God the Father His divine Son, bathed in blood on the Cross for sinners, and through the thrice-holy Name of Jesus, obtain for us from the Eternal Father the favor we implore. (Name your request.)
Appease the Divine anger so justly inflamed by our crimes, beg of Jesus mercy for thy children. Amid the splendors of eternity, forget not the sorrows of those who suffer, those who pray, those who weep; stay the Almighty arm which smites us, that by thy prayers and those of thy most holy spouse, the Heart of Jesus may be moved to pity and to pardon. Amen.


The following is a ritual to set up St. Joseph in your home and maintain his good grace in your home.

an image, holy card or statue of St. Joseph
prayer or novena to St. Joseph
holy water or Florida Water cologne
kosher salt
holy oil or condition oil for peace, job hunting, etc.
yellow candle (tea light, taper, votive, or vigil novena)
3 fava beans (sometimes called St. Joseph beans or mojo wishing beans)
cut lily flower or potted flower
glass of water
sweet pastries or cakes like Sfinge di San Giuseppe or other sweet pastries
workman hand tool
your petition on paper



Take a cleansing bath in which you add holy water or Florida Water cologne and a pinch of kosher salt, wash downwards. State this prayer
"The Light of God surrounds me.
The Love of God enfolds me.
The Power of God protects me.
The Presence of God watches over me.
The Mind of God guides me.
The Life of God flows through me.
The Laws of God direct me.
The Power of God abides within me.
The Joy of God uplifts me.
The Strength of God renews me.
The Beauty of God inspires me.
Wherever I am, God is!
".

After you have dried and dressed in clean clothes, anoint your head, heart, and feet with holy oil or condition oil to your purpose.

Clean an altar space either on a small working table or floor space in your home or place of business.
Use holy water or Florida Water cologne to clean the area. Use the water to also sprinkle in the door ways back and front to cleanse out any negative air. Place a pinch of kosher salt behind these doors and state
"The Light of God surrounds me.
The Love of God enfolds me.
The Power of God protects me.
The Presence of God watches over me.
The Mind of God guides me.
The Life of God flows through me.
The Laws of God direct me.
The Power of God abides within me.
The Joy of God uplifts me.
The Strength of God renews me.
The Beauty of God inspires me.
Wherever I am, God is!
".

Set up an image or statue of St. Joseph, sprinkle it with the water and anoint it with the holy or condition oil. Take a yellow candle, and inscribe your full name on the candle, dress it with the oil, rubbing towards you. If this is a glass encased vigil novena, scratch your name on top and anoint this with the oil, and the outside of the glass candle with the oil making a sign of the cross. Give a glass of water, set out a cut lily flower or lily plant, any food offerings, and the workers tool on the altar. Make a prayer petition paper written out with your request and sign your name. Anoint the paper with the oil and place under the candle securely in place. Take the 3 fava beans and scratch your initials into each of them and place them in the glass of water. Light the candle and state your prayer to St. Joseph, and then state your request to St. Joseph. Let the candle burn completely out. After a few days when the candle burns out, bury the fava beans at your front door, pour the water over the burial, take the other offerings to the crossroads, candle remains, petition paper, cut flower, food, etc. Leave the image, workman's tool, and potted plant if you used one, on the altar or set away until the next Wednesday in which you will burn another candle, give another glass of water, cut lily, and any other food offering. Refresh each Wednesday. Whenever he grants your petition, give him public thanks by spreading his name to others to find St. Joseph, such as a blog, email signature, newspaper publication, Facebook news feed, etc.