March 19, 2013 Tuesday: Divine Mercy Novena #7

In this week of our pilgrimage of Divine Mercy Novena, we will stay inside St. Peter’s Basilica. Our focus will be the left hand wing of the basilica where an altar dedicated to St. Joseph is located. The altar was dedicated and blessed by Pope John XXIII on March 19, 1963. Behind the altar is a backdrop of a mosaic of St. Joseph holding his foster son Jesus in his arms. It’s a tender scene with the child Jesus clutching St. Joseph’s neck with the profound love that a child has for his father. It is also at this spot that tradition holds that St. Peter was put to death by crucifixion in the Circus of Nero. I don’t think that it is a coincidence that the place where Peter, the first pope, gave his life to protect the infant Church is honored by an altar dedicated to St. Joseph who spent his life protecting his son and wife.

Also I do not think that it is a coincidence that the inauguration mass of our new Pope Francis was held on the solemn Feast of St. Joseph. Already many are inspired by the simplicity and poverty of our new Pope--the same traits that endeared many to St. Francis. But the connection between the successor of Peter and St. Joseph is that just as St. Joseph protected and guided his Holy Family throughout their lives in Bethlehem, Egypt, and Galilee, he protects and guides the successors of Peter and the Church. Our Holy Father’s devotion to St. Joseph is evident in his coat of arms. Below the Jesuit emblem for Jesus, “IHS”, is found the star and the flower of spikenard. The star, according to the ancient tradition, symbolizes the Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ and of the Church, while the flower of nard indicates St. Joseph, patron of the universal Church. By placing these images in his shield, the Pope expresses his particular devotion to the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph. Pope Francis, at his inauguration homily early this morning in Rome, urged us to imitate St. Joseph who was humble and obedient. He said, "How does Joseph respond to his calling to be the protector of Mary, Jesus and the Church?  By being constantly attentive to God, open to the signs of God’s presence and receptive to God’s plans, and not simply to his own." St. Joseph had a great love for the Heavenly Father and trusted though he did not fully understand what plan the Father had for him. He is our spiritual father--gentle, yet strong; kind, yet firm; and patient. No doubt some of us have hurts from our earthly parents that make it difficult to understand and know the love of our Heavenly Father. Let us turn to St. Joseph, together with Blessed Mother, and ask them to help heal those hurts and guide us to the love of our Heavenly Father.

On this solemn feast day of St. Joseph, we offer St. Joseph the following prayer:
Saint Joseph, guardian of Jesus
and chaste husband of Mary,
you passed your life in loving fulfillment of duty.
You supported the holy family of Nazareth
with the work of your hands.
Kindly protect those who trustingly come to you.
You know their aspirations,
their hardships, their hopes.
They look to you because they know
you will understand and protect them.
Assure those you protect that they do not labour alone.
Teach them to find Jesus near them
and to watch over Him faithfully as you have done.