The 7 Sorrows & 7 Joys of St. Joseph

2 years ago I put up a post about the devotion to St. Joseph called the 7 Sorrows & 7 Joys of St. Joseph AKA The Devotion of the 7 Sundays. (St. Joseph's 7 Sorrows & 7 Joys Devotion) As I pointed out in that post 1 of most common ways of practicing that devotion is to do so on the 7 Sundays before the Feast of St. Joseph on 19 March. Today is the 1st of those 7 Sundays.

Back then I wrote: "As I have gotten older I have come to a great appreciation of the important role that God had for St. Joseph, not only during his lifetime, but even now as he is in Heaven with his beloved spouse, Mary & his son Jesus. I once read a comment that Mary's love for us is like that of a mother for her children. If so, then St. Joseph's has to be like that of a father. Neither is equal to that of God, but it is reflective of God's love & in total alignment with it & with God's plans for each & every one of us."

Since then I have come to appreciate that role even more. A part of that growth includes a greater understanding of the importance of asking St. Joseph's intercession in our battle against the "culture of death" & esp abortion.

Over the last few days I felt lead to pray this devotion as a way of asking St. Joseph's intercession for an end to abortion. Also to ask that he would bless the efforts of those Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers that provide an alternative to abortion. Finally, that he would help those fathers who lost a child to abortion to find repentance & forgiveness (if they willingly participated) & healing from the emotional damage (whether the father willingly participated or not).

Of course I will also be praying it for some personal needs as well. But I would like to challenge as many as possible to join in with me in praying this devotion to ask St. Joseph's intercession. Follow the link to my previous post for links to the devotion. I feel this devotion will be a powerful weapon that will speed up the day when we have that "Culture of Life" that God desires rather than our current "culture of death".