Adding St. Joseph to Mass prayers

By AMY LUKE- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

A few weeks ago, you may have noticed a small change made to the eucharistic prayers we use at every Mass: the addition of St. Joseph's name to the prayers.

All the eucharistic prayers mention the Blessed Mother and speak of all the martyrs and saints in a general way. There has been a "grassroots" movement for some time now to specifically mention St. Joseph. Blessed Pope John XXIII added St. Joseph's name to Eucharistic Prayer One and Pope Francis has now added it to the other eucharistic prayers. He, like so many others, has a great devotion to St. Joseph; the flower on his coat of arms is the symbol we use for St. Joseph, and he recently consecrated Vatican City to St. Joseph and St. Michael the Archangel.

What significance does this change in the prayers have, and what can we learn from it? The Vatican decree initiating the change makes the following reflections: "Exercising his paternal care over Jesus, St. Joseph of Nazareth, set over the Lord's family, marvelously fulfilled the office he received by grace. Adhering firmly to the mystery of God's design of salvation in its very beginnings, he stands as an exemplary model of the kindness and humility that the Christian faith raises to a great destiny, and demonstrates the ordinary and simple virtues necessary for men to be good and genuine followers of Christ.

"Through these virtues, this just man, caring most lovingly for the Mother of God and happily dedicating himself to the upbringing of Jesus Christ, was placed as guardian over God the Father's most precious treasures. Therefore, he has been the subject of assiduous devotion on the part of the people of God throughout the centuries, as the support of that mystical body, which is the Church."

St. Joseph was a key figure in Jesus' life and ministry and he can provide a wonderful example for us. In fact, he is the official patron of the universal Church, a title given to him to indicate this important role and that he continues his work and presence even today.

He is described as a "man of honor," as he wishes to do the right thing when Mary is discovered to be with child. He is also a man of humility and faith, as he did what the Lord asked him to do many times and was therefore also a man of action and obedience.

At the same time, he was a man of prayer and contemplation; how else would he have listened and then heard what God wanted him to do with his life and with Mary and Jesus, who had been placed in his care?

St. Joseph also provided for his family with his craft as a carpenter. His vocation was to be a guardian and foster father to Jesus, a husband and protector to Mary, and to support them both with his job. "God entrusted his most precious treasures to St. Joseph," says the papal decree; we, too, have been entrusted by God with many treasures as guardians and stewards: our children, our spouses, our friends, as well as many spiritual treasures like the Mass and the sacraments and, indeed, our very soul.

Let us imitate St. Joseph in being good, true and just stewards and guardians, and let us ask the help and prayers of St. Joseph, patron of the universal Church.

(Father Barratt is pastor of St. Ambrose parish in Latham. He holds a doctorate in theology and was a professor at St. John's Seminary in England before coming to the U.S. in 2004.)[[In-content Ad]]