This is part of the Consecration to St. Joseph Set

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DAY 22:  Patience is a virtue that many find hard to practice. Saint Joseph Marello offers great advice: “St. Joseph was always undisturbed, even in adversities.”

DAY 22:  Mirror of Patience, Pray for Us

This flower of Israel [St. Joseph] had the faith of Abraham, the piety of David his ancestor, the wisdom of the prophets, a patience more heroic than that of Job and of Tobias, and a zeal greater than that of Elijah for the glory of God. —    Blessed Gabriele Allegra

Patience is a virtue that many people find hard to practice. Remaining peaceful and calm can be very challenging when you find yourself in a situation that is completely out of your control. Indeed, there are countless things in life that will test your patience.

In modern times, advances in technology have put almost every-thing in life at our fingertips. Our meals, entertainment, music, and contacts are instantly available to us. With this capability, it can be very difficult to wait and acquire the virtue of patience. If you want to be like St. Joseph, however, you must learn patience.

Blessed are all those who wait on the Lord. — Is 30:18

Saint Joseph is a model of patience. Life was not easy for St. Joseph. His mission required a lot of waiting. If St. Joseph did not accompany Mary on her journey to Elizabeth’s house, he had to wait three long months to see his wife again. When St. Joseph observed that his wife was pregnant, he had to wait for the Lord to reveal what he wanted him to do in response to the wondrous pregnancy. Such trials of patience must have been extremely challenging for St. Joseph. Saint Joseph used them as an opportunity to grow in patience and holiness. He mastered every opportunity.

Saint Joseph exhibited heroic patience in Egypt. Taking his wife and newborn Child to a country with a different language, culture, religion, and currency must have filled his heart with anxiety. Finding work in Egypt and providing food and shelter for his family could not have been easy. What husband and father would not be in a constant state of anxiety in such a situation? He had no idea how long he would have to stay in Egypt. Yet, in every situation, St. Joseph was always peaceful, kind, calm, and abandoned to Divine Providence.

Exercising patience does not mean that a person will be free of the anxieties of life. When Mary and Joseph lost Jesus for three days in Jerusalem, we are told that they searched for their beloved Son with great anxiety (see Lk 2:48). They were greatly concerned but had boundless confidence in Divine Providence.

Saint Joseph will increase your patience. You, too, are going to experience many trials in life, trials that will test your love and your patience. Whether you like it or not, your patience is going to be tried. Hardly a day will go by in which you will not be given the opportunity to acquire patience. God allows such trials because he wants us to grow in virtue.

A concrete area in your life where you can exercise the virtue of patience is by being merciful to others, especially when you know their faults. Saint Joseph lived with two perfect people, but he must have frequently encountered unpleasant and difficult people: employers, co-workers, tax collectors, politicians, etc. You, too, will experience unpleasant people in life. In such instances, imitate the patience of St. Joseph. Ask God for the grace to love your neighbor. Be kind, peaceful, and merciful.

In the workplace, offer forgiveness for offenses. On the highway, be patient and courteous. With difficult family members and friends, be pleasant and merciful. Exercising patience and mercy always brings about good. The lovingly patient and merciful person is always victo-rious, in this life or the next!

He [St. Joseph] was always imperturbable, even in adversities. Let us model ourselves after this sublime example and let us learn to remain peaceful and tranquil in all of life’s circumstances. — St. Joseph Marello

The Roman Canon

[Saint] Pope John XXIII, who had a great devotion to St. Joseph, directed that Joseph’s name be inserted in the Roman Canon of Mass — which is the perpetual memorial of redemption — after the name of Mary and before the apostles, popes and martyrs. — St. John Paul II

Saint Joseph’s name was inserted in the Roman Canon of Mass? What does that mean? Is St. Joseph a weapon?

Well, yes, St. Joseph is an extremely powerful weapon for Chris-tianity, but what St. John Paul II is referring to is the Roman Canon, not a Roman cannon. “What’s the Roman Canon?” you wonder. The Roman Canon is the ancient Eucharistic Prayer used by the priest at Mass. For centuries, there was only one Eucharistic Prayer in the Roman Rite. After the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the Church started to use four Eucharistic Prayers, with Eucharistic Prayer I retaining the name of “Roman Canon.” It was into the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I) that St. Pope John XXIII inserted the name of St. Joseph.

To be honest, it’s hard to believe that St. Joseph’s name did not appear in the prayers of the Mass until the 20th century. Saint Joseph is, indeed, the Mirror of Patience! Nevertheless, the manner in which St. Joseph’s name came to be included in the Mass is very inspiring.

Here’s the story.

In 1958, a bishop with a great devotion to St. Joseph was elected to the papacy: Angelo Roncalli. He loved St. Joseph so much that he had contemplated taking the papal name Joseph (Pope Joseph). Out of respect for his earthly father, however, he decided to take the name John. Since there had already been many previous popes named John, he was known as John XXIII.

In 1962, Pope John XXIII opened the Second Vatican Council, entrusting the entire endeavor to St. Joseph. On November 10, 1962, at one of the sessions of the Council, a bishop named Petar Cule offered a presentation on St. Joseph to the other bishops. In his lengthy presentation, Bishop Cule requested that the name of Joseph be included in the Canon of the Mass (the Roman Canon). Unfortunately, Bishop Cule was not well-known, and due to his long, repetitious presentation, as well as his nervousness and inability to articulate things well, many of the cardinals and bishops at the presentation began to murmur and ridicule him for his pious and lengthy speech. At one point, the moderator of the session requested that Bishop Cule end his “eloquent and holy sermon” about St. Joseph. The moderator’s belittling words caused many of the cardinals and bishops to laugh, resulting in Bishop Cule shuffling his aged body back to his seat, seemingly defeated.

Listening in on the speech via closed circuit television was Pope John XXIII. He was not amused by the treatment given to Bishop Cule. Pope John XXIII knew Bishop Cule personally. He knew that Bishop Cule had suffered greatly under the Communists in Yugoslavia. Bishop Cule had been frequently interrogated by the Communists in cruel ways, eventually being sentenced to 11 years of hard labor in a concentration camp in Yugoslavia. The Communists even attempted to kill the bishop by placing him on a train that was deliberately wrecked in order to kill everyone on board. As a result of the wreck, the bishop’s hips were shattered. After he was finally released from the concentration camp, the bishop suffered bouts of anxiety and nervousness, making it hard for him to speak without repeating himself. John XXIII knew that the bishop’s presence at the Council had taken much effort, and that the good bishop wanted to be there to testify that he had been spared from death through the intercession of St. Joseph.

Bishop Cule’s speech on St. Joseph nearly brought Pope John XXIII to tears, and caused the pope to act. On November 13, three days after Bishop Cule gave his presentation on St. Joseph, Pope John XXIII decreed that the name of St. Joseph would be included in the Roman Canon of the Mass! The decree went into effect on December 8, 1962.

Today, the name of St. Joseph appears in all four Eucharistic prayers. This came about during the pontificates of Benedict XVI and Francis. Pope Benedict XVI intended to insert St. Joseph’s name into the three other Eucharistic Prayers, but was not able to accom-plish it before his abdication of the papacy on February 28, 2013. Pope Francis, fulfilling the intentions of Pope Benedict XVI, officially placed the name of St. Joseph in all the Eucharistic Prayers on May 1, 2013.

The next time you attend Holy Mass, listen attentively to the priest as he prays the Eucharistic Prayer. Listen to hear the name of your spiritual father.

In communion with those whose memory we venerate,
especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary,
Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ,
and blessed Joseph, her Spouse ... .
— Eucharistic Prayer I (The Roman Canon)

Have mercy on us all, we pray,
that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
ith blessed Joseph, her Spouse ... .
— Eucharistic Prayer II

May he make of us
an eternal offering to you,
so that we may obtain an inheritance with your elect,
especially with the most Blessed Virgin Mary,
Mother of God,
with blessed Joseph, her Spouse ... .
—    Eucharistic Prayer III

To all of us, your children,
grant, O merciful Father,
that we may enter into a heavenly inheritance
with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
with blessed Joseph, her Spouse ... .
—    Eucharistic Prayer IV

When Pope John XXIII closed the first session of Vatican Council II and announced that the name of St. Joseph was going to be included in the canon of the Mass, a very important churchman telephoned me to say, “Congratulations! Listening to the pope’s announcement, I thought immediately of you and how happy you’d be.” And indeed I was happy, for in that conciliar gathering, which represented the whole Church brought together in the Holy Spirit, there was proclaimed the great supernatural value of St. Joseph’s life. — St. Josemaría Escrivá

Pray the Litany of St. Joseph:

Lord, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.  Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven,  have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Noble Offspring of David,  pray for us.
Light of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Guardian of the Redeemer, pray for us.
Chaste Guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster-Father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Zealous Defender of Christ, pray for us.
Servant of Christ, pray for us.
Minister of Salvation, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.

Joseph Most Just, pray for us.
Joseph Most Chaste,  pray for us.
Joseph Most Prudent,  pray for us.
Joseph Most Courageous,  pray for us.
Joseph Most Obedient, pray for us.
Joseph Most Faithful, pray for us.

Mirror of Patience, pray for us.
Lover of Poverty, pray for us.
Model of Workmen, pray for us.
Glory of Domestic Life, pray for us.
Guardian of Virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of Families, pray for us.
Support in Difficulties, pray for us.
Comfort of the Afflicted, pray for us.
Hope of the Sick, pray for us.
Patron of Exiles,  pray for us.
Patron of the Afflicted, pray for us.
Patron of the Poor, pray for us.
Patron of the Dying, pray for us.
Terror of Demons,  pray for us.
Protector of the Holy Church, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

V. He has made him lord of his household,
R. And prince over all his possessions.

Let us pray. O God, who, in your loving providence, chose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most Holy Mother, grant us the favor of having him for our intercessor in heaven whom on earth we venerate as our protector. You, who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

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