DEVOTION TO ST JOSEPH - QUAMQUAM PLURIES

 

                                                                                             Freepik

 "Now, Venerable Brethren, you know the times in which we live; they are scarcely less deplorable for the Christian religion than the worst days, which in time past were most full of misery to the Church. 

We see faith, the root of all the Christian virtues, lessening in many souls; we see charity growing cold; the young generation daily growing in depravity of morals and views; the Church of Jesus Christ attacked on every side by open force or by craft; a relentless war waged against the Sovereign Pontiff; and the very foundations of religion undermined with a boldness which waxes daily in intensity.

These things are, indeed, so much a matter of notoriety that it is needless for Us to expatiate on the depths to which society has sunk in these days, or on the designs which now agitate the minds of men. In circumstances so unhappy and troublous, human remedies are insufficient, and it becomes necessary, as a sole resource, to beg for assistance from the Divine Power.

2. This is the reason why We have considered it necessary to turn to the Christian people and urge them to implore, with increased zeal and constancy, the aid of Almighty God. At this proximity of the month of October, which We have already consecrated to the Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary,  We earnestly exhort the faithful to perform the exercises of this month with, if possible, even more piety and constancy than heretofore. 

We know that there is sure help in the maternal goodness of the Virgin, and We are very certain that We shall never vainly place Our trust in her. 

If, on innumerable occasions, she has displayed her power in aid of the Christian world, why should We doubt that she will now renew the assistance of her power and favour, if humble and constant prayers are offered up on all sides to her? Nay, we rather believe that her intervention will be the more marvellous as she has permitted Us to pray to her, for so long a time, with special appeals. 

But We entertain another object, which, according to your wont, Venerable Brethren, you will advance with fervour. That God may be more favourable to Our prayers, and that He may come with bounty and promptitude to the aid of His Church, We judge it of deep utility for the Christian people, continually to invoke with great piety and trust, together with the Virgin-Mother of God, her chaste Spouse, the Blessed Joseph; and We regard it as most certain that this will be most pleasing to the Virgin herself.

 On the subject of this devotion, of which We speak publicly for the first time to-day, We know without doubt that not only is the people inclined to it, but that it is already established, and is advancing to full growth. 

We have seen the devotion to St. Joseph, which in past times the Roman Pontiffs have developed and gradually increased, grow into greater proportions in Our time, particularly after Pius IX., of happy memory, Our predecessor, proclaimed, yielding to the request of a large number of bishops, this holy patriarch the patron of the Catholic Church. 

And as, moreover, it is of high importance that the devotion to St. Joseph should engraft itself upon the daily pious practices of Catholics, We desire that the Christian people should be urged to it above all by Our words and authority." 

Pope Leo XIII, Quamquam Pluries, numbers 1 and 2 [1]

Under Joseph’s Mantle

O Joseph, guardian of the Lord,
In silent love, in deed not word,
The Church acclaims your hidden might,
A steady flame, a guiding light.

By pontiffs wise your praise was sung -
Pope Pius IX with fervent tongue,
Proclaimed you patron, strong and sure,
Of Christ’s own Church, which trials endure.

Pope Leo XIII, in prayerful plea,
Urged all the faithful bend the knee,
To seek your aid, your fatherly care,
Your watchful heart, your constant prayer.

You stood beside the Virgin fair,
Mary, Mother of Jesus, pure and rare,
Who bore the Son, spotless, Divine,
The Light no darkness could confine.

When danger rose with swift decree,
You fled by night across the lea,
To Egypt’s land, by angel led,
To guard the Child, to keep Him fed.

O foster-father, brave and mild,
You sheltered God - the Holy Child,
In your care the Saviour grew,
In work, in grace, in love so true.

Today the barque of Christ is under gale,
On restless seas where evils assail,
Yet still you stand, serene above,
Sign of strength, a shield of love.

Inspire our hearts to steadfast be,
With quiet faith and purity,
To labour well, to trust, to pray,
And walk with God from day to day.

Pray for us now, O Joseph dear,
That we all may persevere;
Obey God alone, and shun all sin,
Till heaven’s gates we enter in.

When earthly tasks at last are done,
And we behold the Father’s Son,
May we, through grace and lives made whole,
Find rest with God - our final goal.

[1]https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15081889_quamquam-pluries.html

With thanks to vatican.va

ST JOSEPH'S FEAST ON MAY 1st

                                                                                             Freepik

Skilled artisan

St Joseph taught Jesus how to do tekton work. The Greek word 'tekton' used to describe Jesus in the New Testament means 'carpenter', or more broadly 'craftsman' or 'builder.' It refers to Jesus' occupation as skilled artisan, likely working with wood, though some scholars suggest it could also imply stone masonry or general construction work. 

Work by sweat of brow

St Joseph patiently taught Christ all that he knew, through toil-filled days and sometimes work at night. Jesus learned how to create in the earthly sense. He saw what it entailed to work by sweat of the brow, and Christ - the Creator - joyed to be taught by Joseph, earthly foster father. 

Vocation

So, too, we need to be devoted to whatever vocation God has called us to. Sometimes we are called to more than one work, as chapters of our lives open and close at the behest of the Almighty, according to our talents and aging powers of our body. 

Virtues of Jesus

Let us imitate the virtues of Jesus, stonemason who became Rabbi and went on to save humankind. Let us likewise love St Joseph and celebrate his feast on May 1 with devotion and joy.

Feast of St Joseph the Worker

Pope Pius XII established the Feast of St Joseph the Worker on May 1, 1955. Coinciding with International Workers Day, the feast was intended to honour St Joseph and highlight the dignity of human work..

The feast extends the long relationship with St Joseph and the cause of workers. Beginning in the Book of Genesis, the dignity of human work has long been celebrated as participation in the creative work of God. 

Encyclicals regarding St Joseph

In 1899, Pope Leo XIII wrote Quamquam Pluries, encyclical on devotion to St Joseph. [1] In his encyclcal Laborem Exercens, Saint John Paul II stated, "The Church considers it her task always to call attention to the dignity and rights of those who work, to condemn situations in which that dignity and those rights are violated, and to help to guide the above-mentioned [social] changes so as to ensure authentic progress by man and society." [2] 

Joseph is held up as a model of such work. Pius XII emphasized this when he said, "The spirit flows to you and to all men from the heart of the God-Man, Saviour of the world, but certainly, no worker was ever more completely and profoundly penetrated by it than the foster father of Jesus, who lived with Him in closest intimacy and community of family life and work." [3]

The Tekton’s Son

In Nazareth’s hush at break of day,
Where wood and stone and shavings lay,
A patient man with gentle tone
Taught God-made-flesh to shape the stone.

Saint Joseph, worker, strong and true,
Gave all he had, all that he knew,
The craft of tekton, skill refined -
A builder’s art, both hand and mind.

The saw would sing, the hammer fall,
A measured line, a steady call,
While Christ, the Word by Whom all grew,
Learned earthly work as children do.

He watched the grain, the stone, the seam,
He laboured long in sun’s bright beam,
By sweat of brow and aching limb,
Creation’s Lord learned work from him.

O wondrous sight the ages tell;
The Source of all in workshop dwell,
Receiving from a father’s care,
The humble trades that men must bear.

Joseph taught with quiet grace,
No pride to cloud his weathered face,
But love that formed in hidden years
The Saviour’s path through toil and tears.

So too are we by God assigned
Our works of heart, of hand, of mind,
Through changing days, through shifting call,
One path, then more - God orders all.

In youth we build, in age we guide,
In strength we strive, in frail abide.
Yet each vocation, great or small,
Is holy when we give our all.

Let us then walk as Christ has shown,
Who shaped the wood, who hewed the stone,
Then taught as Rabbi, healed, forgave,
And gave His life the world to save.

With Joseph’s love let us be true,
In faithful work whate’er we do,
And mark with prayer and hearts made bright
His feast upon May's first light.

O blessed worker, guard our way,
Teach us to labour, watch, and pray,
Till all our work on earth is done,
And we behold the Father’s Son.

[1] Pope Leo XIII. Quamquam Pluries. 1889

https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15081889_quamquam-pluries.html

[2] Saint John Paul II, Laborem Exercens, number 1. 1981

https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_14091981_laborem-exercens.html

[3[ Franciscan Media. Saint of the Day. May 1. Saint Joseph the Worker

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-joseph-the-worker/

With thanks to vatican.va and franciscanmedia.org

LAMPS IN THE NIGHT

                                                           Freepik

Jesus told the parable of the ten virgins. Five were wise, and five were foolish. Five women wisely took care of the present, and planned for the future. Five women foolishly larked about, and slept when they should have ensured preparation for the future. 

When the call from God came that they pass over from earth to Heaven, five of the women were prepared to meet God with faith burning bright. The other five found themselves unprepared, and were not ready to be received into the full light of Heaven.

We are called to be like the wise virgins, watchful and prepared. We need to tend the lamps of our souls with care. This means that we need to live each day with faithfulness, by following the commandments and choosing what is good. It is important that we shape our lives around what endures rather than that which fades. 

Heaven is not reached by accident, but by a steady turning of the heart toward God through love, obedience, and quiet perseverance. Let us not be foolish by wasting the gift of time on passing trivialities that cannot last. Instead, let us invest our lives in what is eternal, so that when the Bridegroom comes, He may find us ready, our lamps burning bright.

Lamps in the Night

In hush of night when stars burn bright,
Ten maidens waited in silent light,
Their lamps held high in hopeful grace,
To greet the Bridegroom face to Face.

Five were wise with hearts aware,
They trimmed their lamps with patient care,
Their vessels filled with oil that stayed,
Prepared for joy that would not fade.

Five were foolish, light of mind,
They left their careful thoughts behind.
Their lamps grew dim, their oil ran dry,
Yet still they slept, 'neath darkened sky.

The midnight cry rang sharp and clear,
“The Bridegroom comes - His hour is near!”
The wise arose with steady flame,
Their lamps alive at Holy Name.

The foolish trembled, lost in dread,
“Our light is gone, our hope has fled,”
They rushed away to seek the oil,
But time was lost in hurried toil.

The door was closed, the feast begun,
The race of faith already won.
Too late they knocked with anxious plea,
But barred remained the mystery.

So let us walk with watchful sight,
And keep our lamps with burning light;
Through faithful hearts and deeds made pure,
In God’s commandments we endure.

For when He comes, both swift and true,
May He find light alive in you -
A flame of love that will not part,
Prepared in soul, and mind, and heart.

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY SARAH MULLALLY, STANDS WITH POPE LEO XIV'S CALL FOR PEACE

 

"The Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally, the new leader of the world's Anglicans, . . . hailed Pope Leo XIV's "courageous call" for peace . . .

"I stand with my brother in Christ, His Holiness Pope XIV, in his courageous call for a kingdom of peace. As innocent people are killed and displaced, families torn apart, and futures destroyed, the human cost of war is incalculable," Mullally said in a statement. . . .

Mullally was enthroned in March as Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to head the Church of England, the mother church of the 85-million strong global Anglican communion.. . . 

In her statement yesterday, the archbishop urged Anglicans to "join with His Holiness [the pope] in raising our voices for peace and justice. In a time marked by hatred, division, and violence, may we be steadfast in that calling," she added;"  Alleged News. [1]

Put Up Thy Sword

There is no war that justice can defend,
No blade that heals, no fire that makes amend.
For Christ, upon the cross in sorrow cried,
Yet forgave those who pierced His Hands and Side.

No call He gave to Heaven’s vast array,
Though legions stood, awaiting but His Say.
More than twelve hosts of angels, strong and bright,
Held back their power, restrained by Love, not might.

To Peter then, His voice was clear and sure:
“Put up thy sword; this is not heaven’s cure.”
Not steel nor wrath, nor vengeance stained in red,
But mercy’s path is where His Feet have led.

The Father could have torn the skies apart,
Sent forth His Might with thunder from His Heart.
Yet silence reigned where fury might have dinned,
For Love stood firm where war has always sinned.

What justice lies in limbs by fire undone?
In blinded eyes that never see the sun?
When children fall and innocence is slain,
Can any cause make holy such deep pain?

No! Christ still weeps where bombs and hatred fall,
His gentle voice still pleads above it all.
“This is not justice - hear the wounded cry,
For every soul destroyed, a part of Me must die.”

The law was given: “Thou shalt never kill,”
A sacred truth, unbent by human will.
No throne of state, no banner raised on high
Can cleanse the blood that stains beneath the sky.

Though Augustine sought rules for war’s domain,
Christ’s words still echo, simple, clear, and plain:
Lay down the sword, let violence depart -
For God desires a clean and merciful heart.

For one day we shall stand before His Throne,
With nothing hidden, every deed made known.
Those who fell by unjust hand may rise
As silent witnesses before His Eyes.

Shall blood then drip from hands we cannot hide,
As voices cry from earth where they have died?
Or shall we meet Him bathed in mercy’s light,
With souls made gentle, choosing what is right?

Christ did not conquer through the spear or flame,
But bore our wounds and suffered all our shame.
No violence marked the victory He won
Just Love that rose, and cared for everyone.

So let us walk the path our Saviour trod,
With reverent hearts that honour life and God.
No war is just where love is cast aside - 
Put up thy sword, let Christ in us abide.

[1] AFP. The Citizen,  page 15, Friday 17 April 2026

Image courtesy of  Perchance.org with CN Whittle "Jesus weeps"

THE WISDOM OF THE DESERT MOTHERS

 

"The wisdom of the Desert Mothers can help strengthen your personal prayer life and ultimately, your personal ministry in this world. 

Like the message of Jesus, the women elders from the early days of Christianity offer you their treasury of wise Sayings and true-life parables. 

Let us give St. Mary of Egypt the last word. She is remembered praying in the desert: “Now, therefore, lead me, where ever you please, Lord; lead me to salvation, teach me what is true, and go before me in the way of repentance.” (David G.B. Keller, Desert Banquet [2011], 187)

If you wish to know more about the Desert Fathers and Desert Mothers, please click in the link below;

https://churchinterfaith.blogspot.com/2024/

The Desert Mothers (Ammas) of Early Christianity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U89J_euVenU

With thanks to Youtube

MOTHER SYNCLETICA, EARLY CHURCH MOTHER: CONSTANTLY CLEAN OUT THE SOUL

 

Mother Syncletica coached all her followers to: “Constantly clean out the soul. Smoke out the poison and vermin of sinful thoughts with the divine incense of prayer” (Matericon, 66).

If you wish to know more about the Desert Fathers and Desert Mothers, please click in the link below;

https://churchinterfaith.blogspot.com/2024/

Voices of the Ammas 

They left the rush of crowded days, the markets loud and wide,
And journeyed to the desert’s hush where God alone would guide.
The early mothers, strong in grace, in silence made their home,
Where hearts grew vast in hidden prayer, though outward lives seemed lone.

In caves of dust and burning sun, in cells both bare and small,
They learned to hear the still, soft Voice that gently speaks to all.
Through fasting deep and vigils long, through tears both pure and wise,
They fixed their gaze on Christ alone, their treasure and their prize.

The Ammas spoke with quiet strength, their counsel clear and true,
To souls who sought the narrow path and longed their God to view.
Their words, like wells in desert lands, still draw the thirsty near,
A living stream of holy truth that echoes year by year.

They call to us within our hearts, beyond the world’s loud claim:
“Become a desert in your soul, and kindle there His flame.
Be anchorites in secret depths, though streets around you roar,
Hold fast the Word in silent faith, and seek His Face the more.”

For we who walk the marketplace, with hurried steps and eyes,
Are summoned to that inward place where deeper treasure lies.
To live the wisdom that they gave, with steadfast hearts made whole,
And carry Christ, the Living Word, to every seeking soul.

O mothers of the ancient way, your witness still remains,
A lamp within our modern night, a balm for hidden pains.
Teach us to dwell with God within, though outward paths we roam -
Till every heart, made still in Him, becomes His desert home.

Image courtesy of ChatGPT and CN Whittle "Prayerful devotion in a desert cave" 

AMMA THEODORA, EARLY CHURCH MOTHER: GOD BECOMES YOUR DEFENCE

 

                                                                                 Freepik

Amma Theodora said: “Never forget that in a life of intense prayer, God becomes your defence in all the virtues. When needed, the mighty Lord will come to your defence, fully armed” (Matericon: Instructions of Abba Isaiah to the Honourable Nun Theodora [2001], 72)

If you wish to know more about the Desert Fathers and Desert Mothers, please click in the link below;

https://churchinterfaith.blogspot.com/2024/

Voices of the Ammas 

They left the rush of crowded days, the markets loud and wide,
And journeyed to the desert’s hush where God alone would guide.
The early mothers, strong in grace, in silence made their home,
Where hearts grew vast in hidden prayer, though outward lives seemed lone.

In caves of dust and burning sun, in cells both bare and small,
They learned to hear the still, soft Voice that gently speaks to all.
Through fasting deep and vigils long, through tears both pure and wise,
They fixed their gaze on Christ alone, their treasure and their prize.

The Ammas spoke with quiet strength, their counsel clear and true,
To souls who sought the narrow path and longed their God to view.
Their words, like wells in desert lands, still draw the thirsty near,
A living stream of holy truth that echoes year by year.

They call to us within our hearts, beyond the world’s loud claim:
“Become a desert in your soul, and kindle there His flame.
Be anchorites in secret depths, though streets around you roar,
Hold fast the Word in silent faith, and seek His Face the more.”

For we who walk the marketplace, with hurried steps and eyes,
Are summoned to that inward place where deeper treasure lies.
To live the wisdom that they gave, with steadfast hearts made whole,
And carry Christ, the Living Word, to every seeking soul.

O mothers of the ancient way, your witness still remains,
A lamp within our modern night, a balm for hidden pains.
Teach us to dwell with God within, though outward paths we roam -
Till every heart, made still in Him, becomes His desert home.