St. Joseph Sorrows - First Wednesday

 

 On this first Wednesday of the month, we honor St. Joseph. Did you know he has 7 joys and 7 sorrows? The tradition stems from a popular story about two Franciscans who were caught in a storm, as narrated in the 19th-century book Annals of Saint Joseph. Two Fathers of the Franciscan order were sailing along the coast of Flanders, when a terrible tempest arose, which sank the vessel, with its three hundred passengers. The two Fathers had sufficient presence of mind to seize hold of a plank, upon which they were tossed to and fro upon the waves, for three days and nights. In their danger and affliction, their whole recourse was to St. Joseph, begging his assistance in their sad condition. St. Joseph appeared to them and helped them all reach a safe harbor. Then the saint “advised them daily to recite the Our Father and Hail Mary seven times, in memory of his seven dolors or griefs, and of his seven joys, and then disappeared.”

Today, I will speak about the 7 sorrows of St. Joseph. Here they are as recorded in the 19th-century devotional book The Glories of the Catholic Church and also in Sacred Scripture.

First Sorrow: The Doubt of St. Joseph. But Joseph, her husband, being a just man, and not wishing to expose her to reproach, was minded to put her away privately. (Matt. 1:19) at finding that his honored Lady and amiable spouse had conceived, and at the idea of being obliged by the law to forsake her.
Second Sorrow: The Poverty of Jesus’s birth. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
(Luke 2:7) at not being able to find lodging in the city of Bethlehem for the King and Queen of heaven, and at seeing Jesus lying shivering on a little straw in a manger, between two animals—His only shelter from the cold, there being no room for Him in the inn.
Third Sorrow: The Circumcision And when eight days were fulfilled for his circumcision, his name was called Jesus, the name given to him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. (Luke 2:21) at seeing the divine infant suffer and shed so much of His precious blood in the painful ceremony of His circumcision, when he was but eight days old.
Fourth Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, “Behold this child is destined for the fall and the rise of many in Israel, and for a sign that shall be contradicted. And your own soul a sword shall pierce. (Luke 2:34) at hearing, on the day of the purification, the prophecy of holy Simeon, that the child should be an object of contradiction and persecution, and that a sword of sorrow should pierce Mary’s heart.
Fifth Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt. So he arose and took the child and his mother by night and withdrew into Egypt. (Matt. 2:14) his flight into Egypt with the child and His Mother, in the darkness of the night, and in the depth of winter, to escape the persecution raised by Herod against the adorable infant.
Sixth Sorrow: The Return from Egypt. But hearing that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there; and being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee. (Matt. 2:22) on his return from Egypt, hearing that Archelaus, more cruel still, reigned in Judea in the room of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither, and being warned in sleep retired into Galilee.
Seventh Sorrow: The Loss of the Child Jesus. And not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem in search of him. (Luke 2:45) in the celebrated pilgrimage to Jerusalem, not finding the child Jesus, his only solace, among his acquaintance, he sought Him three days, sorrowing for His loss.
V. Pray for us, O holy Joseph.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let Us Pray.
O God, Who in Your ineffable Providence did vouchsafe to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of Your most holy Mother, grant, we beseech You, that he whom we venerate as our protector on earth may be our intercessor in Heaven. Who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

Today, may we regularly pray to St. Joseph, spouse of the Virgin Mary, trusting as the foster father of Jesus, he will present our petitions to Our Divine Savior, asking Jesus on our behalf to hear and answer our prayers.