Next to the Blessed Virgin we honor St. Joseph as the person who warn most dear to Our Lord. St. Joseph was the foster father of Jesus. Jesus did not have an earthly father; His Father was in heaven. St. Joseph took care of the Holy Child and His Mother. He worked for them in his carpenter shop. He was poor; he did not live in a fine house. God chose a poor man for the foster father of His Son. God wanted to show us that He loved the poor: His only Son was poor; Jesus lived and died poor.
We do not know anything about St. Joseph when he was young. Probably he lived just as other boys of those days, but he uwas purer and holier than any of them. He was meek and humble. He loved God with all his heart and served Him every day of has life. Can you imagine, dear children, what a great saint he must have been to be chosen by God to care for Jesus. To be with Jesus all day; to live for Jesus, to work for Him, to care for Him and His Blessed Mother,- what a wonderful life that was! St. Joseph was pure and holy- That is why he was chosen to live with the two holiest persons who were ever on earth. How happy he must have felt, when after a day of hard work, Jesus ran to meet him. Joseph tank good care of Jesus and Mary. You remember how kind and gentle he was when he and the Blessed Virgin had to leave their little home in Nazareth to go to Bethlehem. How sad he was. when they could find no place to stay when Jesus was to be born. How happy he must have been when he held the dear Babe in bis arms on the first Christmas night! How carefully he watched over Jesus and Mary on the Flight into Egypt. Surely he was greatly troubled that Herod wanted to kill the Child. He never complained or grumbled that he had to work so hard. He might have thought that God ought to make him rich so that he could care better for Jesus and Mary. His days were spent in work and prayer. All day long he thought of Jesus and His Blessed Mother he did was for them. What a wonderful example St. Joseph gives you, dear children. See how he worked from morning till night for Jesus. Everything he did was for Him. His thoughts were all on Jesus. And when he came to die, he died in the arms of Jesus and Mary. What a happy death. That is why we pray to St. Joseph for a happy death. We ask him to obtain for us the grace to die in the arms of Jesus and Mary as he did. But if you wish to die as he did, you must also live as he did. St. Joseph never did anything great or grand. He was only a poor carpenter. He never built big houses, or made fine furniture for rich people or kings. He worked for the poor. He lived and died poor.
Pray often that St. Joseph may help you to be satisfied with what you have. Do not grumble and complain when you do not have the fine clothes and expensive toys you like. By working and praying as St. Joseph did, you will also be able to keep yourself free from sin. If you are always busy the devil cannot tempt you for you will have no time to listen to him.
Try to have a great devotion to this dear saint, for Jesus will hear his prayers for you. He cannot refuse his dear foster father who never refused Him anything when He was on earth. Ask St. Joseph to help you in your prayers, especially for a happy death for all in your family.
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I die in your holy company. Amen."
Source: Practical Aids for Catholic Teachers, Imprimatur 1928
There are four coloring pictures below for the children:
We do not know anything about St. Joseph when he was young. Probably he lived just as other boys of those days, but he uwas purer and holier than any of them. He was meek and humble. He loved God with all his heart and served Him every day of has life. Can you imagine, dear children, what a great saint he must have been to be chosen by God to care for Jesus. To be with Jesus all day; to live for Jesus, to work for Him, to care for Him and His Blessed Mother,- what a wonderful life that was! St. Joseph was pure and holy- That is why he was chosen to live with the two holiest persons who were ever on earth. How happy he must have felt, when after a day of hard work, Jesus ran to meet him. Joseph tank good care of Jesus and Mary. You remember how kind and gentle he was when he and the Blessed Virgin had to leave their little home in Nazareth to go to Bethlehem. How sad he was. when they could find no place to stay when Jesus was to be born. How happy he must have been when he held the dear Babe in bis arms on the first Christmas night! How carefully he watched over Jesus and Mary on the Flight into Egypt. Surely he was greatly troubled that Herod wanted to kill the Child. He never complained or grumbled that he had to work so hard. He might have thought that God ought to make him rich so that he could care better for Jesus and Mary. His days were spent in work and prayer. All day long he thought of Jesus and His Blessed Mother he did was for them. What a wonderful example St. Joseph gives you, dear children. See how he worked from morning till night for Jesus. Everything he did was for Him. His thoughts were all on Jesus. And when he came to die, he died in the arms of Jesus and Mary. What a happy death. That is why we pray to St. Joseph for a happy death. We ask him to obtain for us the grace to die in the arms of Jesus and Mary as he did. But if you wish to die as he did, you must also live as he did. St. Joseph never did anything great or grand. He was only a poor carpenter. He never built big houses, or made fine furniture for rich people or kings. He worked for the poor. He lived and died poor.
Pray often that St. Joseph may help you to be satisfied with what you have. Do not grumble and complain when you do not have the fine clothes and expensive toys you like. By working and praying as St. Joseph did, you will also be able to keep yourself free from sin. If you are always busy the devil cannot tempt you for you will have no time to listen to him.
Try to have a great devotion to this dear saint, for Jesus will hear his prayers for you. He cannot refuse his dear foster father who never refused Him anything when He was on earth. Ask St. Joseph to help you in your prayers, especially for a happy death for all in your family.
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I die in your holy company. Amen."
Source: Practical Aids for Catholic Teachers, Imprimatur 1928
There are four coloring pictures below for the children:
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