Topic for May: Men
Saint to contemplate: St. Joseph
St. Joseph’s role in the early life of Jesus: “The Jewish father played an enormously important part in the life of the son because he embodied the spirit of the covenant.” St. Joseph’s fatherhood, he said, “with all its depth is immense value to world because within our society there is a crisis in the whole nature of paternity, which embodies the spirit of commitment, willingness to sacrifice for the good of his children, to endow them with values and prepare them for love in their own lives.” (Fr. Anthony Doe)
How, then, is St. Joseph the exemplar of fatherhood? He is, to coin a word, the prototype of what all human fathers should be. They should reflect, in their families the seven virtues which the Church specially honours in St. Joseph’s relationship to Jesus and Mary.
Like Joseph, fathers should be:
- Most just, without partiality or human respect.
- Most chaste, according to their married state of life.
- Most prudent, in knowing God’s will through constant prayer.
- Most valiant in courageously accepting the cross every moment of the day.
- Most obedient in seeing every event as part of divine Providence and responding with, “Here I am Lord. I am ready to do Your will.”
- Most faithful in loving their wives with perfect fidelity, and their children with tireless generosity.
- The strength of the home by their exercise of manly courage. They are to protect their wives and children from the plots of the modern Herods who are inspired by the evil spirit to destroy the Christian family in the modern world.
Prayer
O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interest and desires.
O St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.
O St. Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him close in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for me.
Amen.
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(The Siswati version of this post can be found after the video)
This video has been prepared by the Extraordinary Missionary Year (EMY) team inviting us to pray for men in this month of May.
Inkhwekhweti: Emadvodza
Santa Locwebile walenyanga: Josefa Locwebile
Indzima yaJosefa Locwebile emphilweni yaJesu yebuncane: Babe longumJuda abesebenta incenye lemcoka kakhulu emphilweni yendvondzana ngobe abembetse umoya wesivumelwano.” Ngebubabe baJosefa locwebile watsi” ngekujula kwako kunebumcoka lobukhulu emhlabeni ngoba esiveni setfu kunebumatima mayelana nayo yonkhe imvelo lephatselene nabobabe lefanele ihambisane nemoya wekutimisela, nekutinikela kulokuhle entela bantfwabakhe, nekubanika kutiphatsa lokuhle nekubalungiselela lutsandvo etimphilweni takabo” (Fr Anthony Doe).
Nguyiphi indlela Josefa locwebile lasibonelo ngayo sebubabe? Singatsi uyincalakuvela yako konkhe lokufanele kutsi bobabe bebantfu babe ngiko. Kufanele bakhombise emindenini yabo lokuhle lokusikhombisa libandla lelikhetsa kukuhlonipha ebudlelwaneni bakhe Josefa locwebile kuJesu naMariya.
NjengaJosefa, bobabe kufanele babe ngula:
- Bacotfo kakhulu, labangakhetsi bala lemuntfu ngenhlonipho.
- Bamsulwa kakhulu, kuhambisane nesigaba sabo sekushada.
- Bahlunge kakhulu, ekwatini intsandvo yaNkulunkulu ngemthandazo njalo.
- Batimisele kakhulu, ekwemukeleni siphambano ngesibindzi ngetikhatsi tonkhe telusuku.
- Batfobile kakhulu, ekuboneni konkhe lokwentekako njengencenye yesipho sangetulu baphend vule ngekutsi,”Ngilapha Nkhosi, ngilungele kwenta intsandvo yakho.”
- Batsembeke kakhulu ekutsandzeni bafati babo ngekwetsembeka lokukhulu, nebantfwababo ngemphatfo lengakhatsali.chutjwa ngumo
- Bacinisa emakhaya abo ngekuma sibindzi sebudvodza. Kumele bavikele bafati nebantfwababo amachingeni aboHerodi balamuhla labachutjwa ngumoya lomubi kutsi babhidlite umndeni wemaKhristu emhlabeni walamuhla.
Umthandazo
E! Josefa locwebile, kuvikela kwakhe lokukhulu, lokunemandla, lokusheshako embikwesihlalo saNkulunkulu, ngibeka kuwe konkhe kutsandza netifiso tami.
E! Josefa, ngisite ngekuncusa kwakho lokunemandla ungitfolele endvodzaneni yakho tonkhe tibusiso takamoya, ngaJesu Khristu iNkhosi yetfu. Kute kutsi sengisitakele ngisengentasi ngemandla akho angetulu, nginganikela kubonga kwami nekuhlonipha kuBabe lotsandza kwendlula bonkhe.
E! Josefa locwebile, angidzinwa kuzindla ngawe naJesu lolele emikhonweni yakho; ngeke ngiphatamise asecambalele ngasenhlitiyweni yakho. Msondzetele libito lami ungangele inhloko yakhe lenhle umcele naye angange nangidvonsa umoya wami ekufeni. Josefa locwebile, mncuseli wemiphefumulo lehambako, ngikhulekele.
Amen.