Saint Joseph – Man of work and duty – You did not complain and grumble, but simply did your duty

Saint Joseph from my grandfather's prayer book (Men in prayer).

Prayer to Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph, you are the man of work and duty. How difficult it was for you to earn daily bread for Mary and the Savior. You were one of the common people who have to live by their hands. But you didn't complain and grumble, you just did your duty. You knew everything you did was for the Savior and His Mother. It was enough for you to despise all exertion and weariness. I have a great request for you, faithful workman of the Lord. Help me to always be as humble and as willing to work as you are.

I am always in danger of overdoing myself and showing myself better than I really am. I want to learn from you to remain humble and modest in all work. Give me love of physical labor too. I happily want to help, at home and everywhere, in small, practical service. Saint Joseph, bless the workers and artisans of the whole world.

Give your fatherly protection that they do not lose their eternal salvation in the cares of time. You help that poverty, need, hatred disappear. Pray for them to the Savior that with divine power and love he will bring back into his kingdom all those who have separated from him throughout the world. Amen.

Saint Joseph the Father

Saint Joseph, you are of the royal tribe of David. The Lord God has chosen you to be the bridegroom of the dear Mother of God, Mary. You were allowed to be the nurturing and foster father of her divine child. In simple humility, ready to do whatever God asked of you, you fulfilled your holy father's calling and became the forerunner of the Redeemer of the world. We come to you trusting in your good prayer before God.

Give our fathers the courage to do their father's job willingly. In every woman and mother they should see an image of the dear Blessed Mother, in order to treat them with reverence and chivalry. Bless faithfulness, bless sorrow, bless the path that fathers and mothers make together! Parents often find it difficult to find the courage to have a child. Make them say a bold "yes"! Let not their goodwill be stunted, their joy in sacrifice not slack, and send them the happiness of domestic peace, as it dwelt in the house of Nazareth.

There is great concern about daily bread, clothing and housing, the future and work. Let our working fathers and mothers not collapse at their crossroads! give them joy in the laborious workday and peace in the holy Sunday. Let them never forget that every good deed is written in the book of life. Temptation and seduction, world spirit and punishment and many a bad word are a more dangerous enemy to our youth than Herod's dagger.

Spread your protective mantle around the hearts of our children. Don't let them be poisoned by the breath of sin! Bless the admonishing word of the parents, let the fathers be good examples in religion and daily duty, so that a people of God and a strong offspring for God and homeland grow out of every home!

Saint Joseph the Worker

Saint Joseph, man of work and craft! Despite your high office, you remained a simple craftsman. In this way you have become the protector of all work and the model of every creative profession. Through you we dedicate the work of our hands to the Lord God. Then our sweat becomes a mighty prayer and our toil a precious offering. By the sweat of our brow we must earn our bread. So the burden of sin rests on man's shoulders.

Help us, through prayer and consecration, to bear them with patience and kindness, without hatred and rebellion. Then every profession is a way to heaven in the name of God. Let the work we do be done for our families. She shall be doubly dear to us through our sacrificial work. From this sacrifice children are to grow who honor the work of their father, who themselves find the courage to do good work.

Show our children the example of the incarnate Son of God, who helped you in your work and thus became the role model for creative young people. All superiors and masters, the commanders and employers, give a sense of justice and true appreciation! Let them recognize and justly reward our efforts, so that between high and low, between rich and poor, the bridge of genuine love may be built in the name of Christ.

Saint Joseph, Patron of the Church

Saint Joseph, chosen by God to be the patron of the Church! At your paternal hand we go to God, to the sources of grace. Accompany us to the power of baptism and confirmation, to the redeeming blood of repentance and forgiveness, to the holy bread of life and the last journey, to the holy bond of marriage and to the holy priesthood. Through the church we want to become holy and faithful people.

Again and again the persecutors of the Church raise their heads. Again and again she bleeds from many wounds. Give her the recognition before the people, the power for charity and the freedom for Christian action. Carry before God all the prayers offered by priests and people for all mankind. This is the work of peace that we entrust to your Father's hand. Finally protect the church in its worldwide task!

Through the hands of the priests, may the blood of Jesus Christ, as the blood of redemption and liberation, also reach the Gentiles, the apostates and unfaithful, the erring and sinners, so that under your protection there may be one shepherd and one flock, a united people of the merciful god. Amen.

Saint Joseph, Patron of the Dying

Saint Joseph, foster father of our Lord Jesus Christ and true bridegroom of the Virgin Mary, intercede for us and for the dying of this day - this night.