St. Joseph Novena For Work Begins Today

I know a lot of us have friends who are looking for work. (And even our own Edith is uncertain about what the next year holds.) So I encourage you all to pray the following Novena to St. Joseph for Work (the feast of St. Joseph the Worker is in 9 days, on May 1st.)

Glorious Saint Joseph,
model of all who pass their life in labor,
obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance
to atone for my many sins; to work conscientiously,
putting the call of duty above my own inclinations;
to work with gratitude and joy,
considering it an honor to use and develop by my labor
the gifts I have received from God;
to work with order, peace, moderation and patience,
without ever recoiling before weariness or difficulties.

Help me to work, above all,
with purity of intention and with detachment from self,
having always before my eyes the hour of death
and the accounting which I must render of time lost,
talents wasted,
good omitted,
and vain complacency in success,
which is so fatal to the work of God.

All for Jesus, all for Mary,
all after your example,
O Patriarch Joseph! T
his shall be my watchword in life and in death. Amen

St. Joseph, patron of workers, pray for us.

Icon written by Daniel Nicholls