VIRGINAL HUSBAND OF MARY
Saint Joseph, I honor you as the true husband of Mary. Scripture says: "Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of
Mary, and of her was born Jesus who is called Christ" (Matt. 1:16). Your marriage to Mary was a sacred
contract by which you and Mary gave yourselves to each other. Mary really belonged to you with all she was
and had. You had a right to her love and obedience; and no other person so won her esteem, obedience, and
love.
You were also the protector and witness of Mary's virginity. By your marriage you gave to each other your
virginity, and also the mutual right over it -- a right to safeguard the other's virtue. This mutual
virginity also belonged to the divine plan of the Incarnation, for God sent His angel to assure you that
motherhood and virginity in Mary could be united.
This union of marriage not only brought you into daily familiar association with Mary, the loveliest of
God's creatures, but also enabled you to share with her a mutual exchange of spiritual goods. And Mary
found her edification in your calm, humble, and deep virtue, purity, and sanctity. What a great honor comes
to you from this close union with her whom the Son of God calls Mother and whom He declared the Queen of
Heaven and Earth! Whatever Mary had belonged by right to you also, and this included her Son, even though
He had been given to her by God in a wonderful way. Jesus belonged to you as His legal father. Your
marriage was the way which God chose to have Jesus introduced into the world, a great divine mystery from
which all benefits have come to us.
God the Son confided the guardianship and the support of His Immaculate Mother to your care. Mary's life
was that of the Mother of the Saviour, who did not come upon earth to enjoy honors and pleasures, but to
redeem the world by hard work, suffering, and the cross. You were the faithful companion, support, and
comforter of the Mother of Sorrows. How loyal you were to her in poverty, journeying, work, and pain. Your
love for Mary was based upon your esteem for her as Mother of God. After God and the Divine Child, you
loved no one as much as her. Mary responded to this love. She submitted to your guidance with naturalness
and easy grace and childlike confidence. The Holy Spirit Himself was the bond of the great love which
united your hearts.
Saint Joseph, I thank God for your privilege of being the virginal husband of Mary. As a token of your own
gratitude to God, obtain for me the grace to love Jesus with all my heart, as you did, and love Mary with
some of the tenderness and loyalty with which you loved her.
NOVENA PRAYER
ovena
