Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent

The Month of March Devoted to Saint Joseph

Saints: Saint Balbina, Roman Matron, Foundress of the Roman Church Bearing Her Name (3rd century); Saint Benjamin, Deacon and Martyr (4th-5th century); Blessed Jane of Toulouse (13th century)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 49 The Observance of Lent

Mass: Jeremiah 20:10-13; Resp Ps 18; Jn 10:31-42 

I cried out to my God.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

SAINT JOSEPH, 

SUPPORT IN DIFFICULTIES,

TERROR OF DEMONS,

GUARDIAN OF THE REDEEMER,

PATRON OF THE DYING,

PRAY FOR US.

Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, 

For He has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!

(Jer 20:13)

During these last days of the Fifth Week of Lent as we prepare to enter Holy Week, we pray to the Lord to protect us and guide us so that we do what is needed to "look forward to holy Easter with joy and spiritual longing" (Rule of Saint Benedict, 49:7). Yesterday, Jesus hid from those who wanted to stone Him (see Jn 8:59). Today, he escapes from the power of those who try to arrest Him (see Jn 10:39). Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

On this last day of March 2023, the month devoted to Saint Joseph, we turn to Pope Pius IX (1792-1878) who, on December 8, 1870, in the document Quemadmodum Deus, declared Saint Joseph as the Patron of the Universal Church. We continue to pray to Saint Joseph during these still most troublesome times, when the Church is beset by enemies on every side. Saint Joseph, protector of Holy Church, pray for us.

When in these most troublesome times the Church is beset by enemies on every side ... Pope Pius IX, in order to entrust himself and all the faithful to the Patriarch Saint Joseph's most powerful patronage ... has solemnly declared him Patron of the Catholic Church.

And from Pope Saint Paul VI, in a March 27, 1969, homily on the Feast of Saint Joseph:

The Church invokes [Saint Joseph] as her Patron and Protector through her unshakeable trust that he to whom Christ willed to confide the care and protection of His own frail human childhood, will continue from heaven to perform his protective task in order to guide and defend the mystical Body of Christ Himself, which is always weak, always under attack, always in a state of peril. Finally, we call upon Saint Joseph for the world, trusting that the heart of the humble working man of Nazareth, now overflowing with immeasurable wisdom and power, still harbors and will always harbor a singular and precious fellow-feeling for the whole of mankind. So may it be.

SAINT BALBINA,

SAINT BENJAMIN,

BLESSED JANE OF TOULOUSE,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: My cry to Him reached His ears.

© Gertrude Feick 2023