We know relatively little about St. Joseph. He is sometimes called “the silent Saint” because no words of his are recorded in Scripture. Yet, devotion to St. Joseph, who was the foster father of Jesus and husband of the Blessed Mother, has a long history in the Church.
In Befriending St. Joseph: Finding Faith, Hope, and Courage in the Seven Sorrows Devotion, Deacon Greg Kandra shares how the tradition of meditating on the seven sorrows of St. Joseph began with a shipwreck. Two Franciscans were traveling on the coast of Belgium when a storm hit, and the ship sank. They clung to the wreckage and prayed to St. Joseph. St. Joseph appeared to them and helped them to safety. He taught them to pray seven Our Fathers and seven Hail Marys and to “meditate on the seven passages in the Bible where Joseph is mentioned” (xi).
The Seven Sorrows of St. Joseph are:
1. Joseph decides to divorce Mary
2. Jesus sees Jesus born into poverty
3. Joseph’s sorrow at the circumcision of Jesus
4. Joseph hears a prediction of suffering
5. Joseph flees with his family to Egypt
6. Joseph makes the dangerous journey back to Israel
7. Joseph searches for the lost Jesus
Deacon Kandra encourages us to pray to St. Joseph because he can help us learn how to listen better to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in our lives and trust in God more. St. Joseph is also a patron for those who are sent places that they would rather not go as well as for those who feel unworthy or unready for the task that God has given them.
For each of the seven sorrows, Deacon Kandra provides a Scripture passage, an imaginative retelling of the event from St. Joseph’s perspective, a reflection, questions for personal or group use, and a prayer. Each of the chapters is only a few pages. This book would be perfect to use as an at-home retreat.
An appendix includes many prayers to ask for St. Joseph’s intercession in various circumstances. As second appendix offers a prayer service based on the Seven Sorrows Devotion.
St. Joseph has much to teach us. He can also be a great source of help to us through his intercession in our times of need. His feast day on March 19th and the feast day of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1st both provide an extra incentive to learn more about this important saint. Reading and reflecting on Befriending St. Joseph: Finding Faith, Hope, and Courage in the Seven Sorrows Devotion is an excellent way to do that.
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