Happy Year of St. Joseph! Today, Fr. Mark-Mary shares the prayer that has brought him closest to the foster-father of Jesus.
Although there may not be any words attributed to St. Joseph in the Bible, he is an essential part of salvation history, and deserves much more recognition than is granted him. One way you can strengthen your relationship with St. Joseph is to pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary with him in mind. Looking at the joyful mysteries can reveal a large part of the saint’s heart, humility, and strength, as it lays out the beginning of his relationship with Mary and the coming birth of Christ.
Fr. Mark-Mary breaks down each mystery with this in mind:
1. The Annunciation: pray with Luke 1:26-38 and Matthew 1:18-25 (focus on Joseph’s response to Mary’s pregnancy, and to the angel’s message)
2. The Visitation: pray with Luke 1:39-56 (focus on Joseph’s response to Mary’s Magnificat)
3. The Birth of Christ: pray with Luke 2:1-20 and Matthew 1:25-2:15 (focus on Joseph’s response to seeing Christ for the first time)
4. The Presentation: pray with Luke 2:21-40 (focus on Joseph’s response to the prophecy of Simeon)
5. Finding Jesus in the Temple: pray with Luke 2:41-52 (focus on Joseph’s response to Jesus being lost, and finding him in the temple)
Want to go deeper? Try spending some time in lectio divina with each of these passages. You can split them up over a week, or do one per week, but just spend some time in the shoes of St. Joseph, focusing on his response to the things God was calling him to.
Meditating on the life of St. Joseph will only bring us closer to Christ, helping us see why God chose to entrust such an important role to such a humble carpenter.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Meet Fr. Mark-Mary
Father Mark-Mary was ordained as a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal (CFR) in 2018 and lives at a friary in the Bronx.
The mission of the CFRs is to wholeheartedly embrace Jesus through fidelity to the Church and her Sacraments. Paired with their commitment to prayer, contemplation, and study of Sacred Scripture, the CFRs serve those around them, especially the poor, in the footsteps of Christ.
Discover beautiful music from the CFRs and Fr. Mark-Mary’s book Habits for Holiness: Small Steps for Spiritual Progress, both available from Ascension.
