Patience helps us to remain calm and trust in God, rather than becoming frustrated and losing our temper when things do not go the way we expect them to. Patience allows us to think, say, and do the right thing in the right way at the right time. The patient person waits and trusts in God to provide all things that are necessary for family life. In every life there is sorrow and pain; patience is the ability to endure those times without giving up hope and without resorting to irritation, agitation, and irritability towards our spouses and our children.
St. Joseph was a perfect example of a good husband and father. He had a very strong faith in God; so strong that he didn’t question the angel that appeared to him in a dream but immediately followed his instructions. He patiently followed God’s plan for his life, becoming the foster father of Jesus. He willingly took on the role of protector to Mary and Jesus, even having to flee to Egypt to escape Herod. As Jesus’ foster father, he had the task of teaching Jesus about his people’s history and worship, so he must have had a deep understanding of God’s Revelation. And he must have possessed all the virtues to a heroic degree, so that, with Mary, who was perfectly endowed with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the presence of the Christ Child, their home was filled with God’s grace.
Dear Holy Spirit, through the intercession of St. Joseph, please grant to (names) an increase in the virtue of patience. Help them to follow the examples of St. Joseph in in their daily lives, staying true to their faith, and remaining constant in their hope for eternal life. Help them to grow in virtue until their love is as close as humanly possible to Your love for them. Let this love for each other expand to include all those around them, especially those in their care. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
0 comments:
Post a Comment