Over the centuries there have developed numerous devotions to St. Joseph. One of the most powerful devotions is called the Seven Sundays Devotion. It provides an opportunity to draw closer in your relationship with God by contemplating the joys and sorrows of St. Joseph.
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St. Joseph is well-known for his great intercessory power, as St. Teresa of Avila attests:
I have never known anyone who … honored him by particular services who did not advance greatly in virtue, for he helps in a special way those souls who recommend themselves to him.
The devotion is quite simple and coupled with lectio divina (divine reading of scripture), is able to greatly influence a person’s spiritual life.
Below is an excerpt from my article on Aleteia on the origins of this devotion:
According to Salt and Light Media, “The story goes that two Franciscan monks who were shipwrecked at sea clung to a plank for two days, and were saved by a man of venerable appearance who miraculously brought them to shore. When they asked who he was, he replied, ‘I am Joseph, and I desire you to honor my seven sorrows and seven joys.’”
Whatever the origins may be, a devotion was developed where the seven sorrows and seven joys of Joseph became the focus of meditation on the seven Sundays preceding his feast on March 19. The first Sunday of these meditations is typically either the last Sunday of January or the first Sunday of February.
Check out my article on Aleteia for the rest of the story and the specific scriptures passages to meditate on each Sunday leading up to March 19.
Read More: A Beginner’s Guide to Lectio Divina