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Ave Maria Meditations

The Graces of Saint Joseph

There is a general rule concerning all special graces granted· to any human being. Whenever the divine favor chooses someone to receive a special grace, or to accept a lofty vocation, God adorns the person with all the gifts of the Spirit needed to fulfill the task at hand. This general rule is especially verified in the case of Saint Joseph, the foster-father of our Lord and the husband of the Queen of our world, enthroned above the angels. He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph’s wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.

What then is Joseph’s position in the whole Church of Christ? Is he not a man chosen and set apart? Through him and, yes, under him, Christ was fitting­ly and honorably introduced into the world. Holy Church in its entirety is indebted to the Virgin Mother because through her it was judged worthy to receive Christ.  But after her we undoubtedly owe special gratitude and reverence to Saint Joseph. (more…)

One Minute Meditation

MEMORARE OF SAINT JOSEPH

Remember, O guardian of the Redeemer and our loving custodian, St. Joseph, that never has it been heard that anyone who invoked your protection or sought your intercession has not been consoled. In this confidence I come before you, my loving protector, chaste spouse of Mary, virginal father of the Savior of men and dispenser of the treasures of His Sacred Heart. Despise not my earnest prayer, but graciously receive it with your paternal care and obtain my petition… (Here mention your request.)

O Father, who in your loving designs chose St. Joseph to be the spouse of the most holy Mother and the custodian of the mysteries of the Incarnation, grant, we ask you, that through his paternal intercession, we may receive the graces to dispose ourselves with generosity and humility of heart to fulfill your designs of love for our lives and for our Spiritual Family. Amen.

Saint Joseph, take us home, lead our hearts to the Heart of the Mother and the Heart of the Child!

Saint Joseph, Custodian of the Mysteries of love of the Pierced Hearts… pray for us.

Homily #110319 ( 07min) Play – Today is the Solemnity of St. Joseph and Fr. Dominic preaches on the great nobility of his vocation to be the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and protector of the Holy Family.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Joseph Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Solemnity – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: 2sa 7:4-5, 12-14, 16
Resp: psa 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29
2nd: rom 4:13, 16-18, 22
Gsp: mat 1:16, 18-21, 24

Audio (MP3)

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Ave Maria Meditations

Statue of St. Joseph and the Christ Child in the crypt church at St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal, founded by St. Andre Bessette.

Dearest St. Joseph, I consecrate myself to your service. I give myself to you, that you always be my father, my protector and my guide in the way of salvation. Obtain for me a great purity of heart, a fervent love of the interior life, and the spirit of prayer.

After your example may I do all my actions for the greater glory of God, in union with the Divine Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. And you, blessed St. Joseph, pray for me, that I might share in the peace and joy of your holy death. Amen.

 (+ by Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ: Servant of God and a founder of the Institution on Religious Life)

 A biography of St. Andre can be found at http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=18

Homily #101219 ( 24min) Play – Today on the last Sunday in Advent Fr. Bonaventure McGuire explains how the marriage of Joseph is a true marriage in the light of Mary’s Perpetual Virginity and how this means that St. Joseph’s fatherhood is a true fatherhood over Jesus and true husband of Mary, and therefore true head of the Holy Family. Father stresses the great marvel that such a stupendous dignity of the stewardship of these awesome treasures were entrusted to a mere man. The key to making sense of these truths is that the marriage between Joseph and Mary was uniquely orientated to the incarnation and in turn the general orientation of all creation to this mystery makes sense of all history, of every little action done in love of Christ, and how the incarnation is then our one true hope.
Ave Maria!
Mass: 4th Sunday of Advent – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: isa 7:10-14
Resp: psa 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
2nd: rom 1:1-7
Gsp: mat 1:18-24

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MaryCast Specials #93 ( 10min) Play – Dr. Mark Miravalle continues to relate the messages from St. Joseph that were given alongside the apparitions from the Blessed Virgin Mary to Sr. Mary Ephrem called Our Lady of America which has received local Church approval. Dr.Mark continues with St Joseph’s request for a special day set aside to honor his fatherhood and in so doing will honor all other fatherhood in the world and honors Jesus and Mary as well. He reads the details of Sr. Ephrem’s account of the beautiful and majestic appearance of St. Joseph in his heavenly glory, including a description of his pure and holy heart. He covers St. Joseph’s protective role for the Church and a First Wednesday devotion for St. Joseph.

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com

Ave Maria!

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MaryCast Specials #92 ( 09min) Play – Dr. Mark Miravalle continues to relate the messages from St. Joseph that were given along side the apparitions from the Blessed Virgin Mary to Sr. Mary Ephrem called Our Lady of America which has received local Church approval. In this segment Dr. Mark relates the message from St. Joseph where he describes the nature of his heart and how he suffers and how he is the model of Fatherhood in the world and want a day set aside for the honoring of this fatherhood which is vital for purity in the family and peace in the world.

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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MaryCast Specials #91 ( 10min) Play – In the next three episodes Dr. Mark Miravalle relates the messages from St. Joseph that were given along side the apparitions from the Blessed Virgin Mary to Sr. Mary Ephrem called Our Lady of America which has received local Church approval. In this segment he relates the message were St. Joseph describes the nature of his sinlessness and his unique participation in the Redemption.

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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Ave Maria Meditations

Ite ad Ioseph!

 Jacob’s son – a figure of Saint Joseph

Many Christians, conscious of the exceptional mission of Saint Joseph in the life of Jesus and Mary, since the Old Testament is the forerunner of the New Testament, have tried throughout the centuries to find in the history of the Hebrew people deeds and images that prefigure the man who was to be the virginal spouse of Mary. Many Fathers of the Church have seen in the person of the same name, Joseph, son of Jacob the Patriarch, a prophetic announcement. When Pope Pius IX proclaimed Saint Joseph patron of the universal Church he gathered together those ancient insights. The Liturgy also gives witness to this same parallelism. Not only did these two men share the same name, but there are also to be found in their lives, interwoven in both cases with trials and joys, certain virtues and attitudes which are similar and coincide in many instances.

Joseph the son of Jacob and Joseph the virginal spouse of Mary both went to Egypt as the result of whole series of providential circumstances. The first Joseph went there because he was pursued by his brothers and handed over to strangers out of envy, circumstances that prefigure the betrayal that Christ would have to undergo. The second Joseph went to Egypt having fled from Herod in order to save the Child who was to bring salvation to the world.

Joseph the son of Jacob received from God the gift of being able to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, and was thus himself forewarned as to what would happen later. The other and greater Joseph also received God’s messages in dreams. Saint Bernard observes that the former was given to understand the mysteries of dreams; the latter deserve to know and to share in the most supreme mysteries. (more…)

Homily #100918 ( 06min) Play – On this Feast of St. Joseph Cupertino Fr. Bonaventure preaches on the firm basis on which this saint flew to the heights of sanctity. He did not have much to offer society in regard to worldly, natural ability but he would never be discouraged but continue on in humility and this lowliness lead to his sanctity that was so extraordinarily manifested in the gift of physical flight. Father also exhorts us to reject the modern eugenics movement in the form of abortion and infanticide of babies that are not deemed perfectly formed, useful or convenient like St. Joseph.
Ave Maria! St. Joseph of Cupertino – Mass: OF, – Readings:
1st: 1co 12:31, 13:1-10, 13
Resp: psa 25:1-3, 4-5, 8-9, 10
Gsp: mat 11:25-30

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Homily #100501 ( 14min) Play – Today, on the Feast of St Joseph the Worker, Fr. Bonaventure preaches on how St. Joseph is the true model of a worker who centers all his work around his Son, Jesus Christ, the King of Kings. Father contrasts this to the atheistic, Communist “May Day” celebrations, also on this day, which Pius XII counteracted by establishing this feast in 1955.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
1: Gn 1:26-2:3
R: Ps 90:2, 3-4, 12-13, 14, 16
G: Mt 13:54-58

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Ave Maria Meditations

Homily #100319 ( 19min) Play -

Feast Day of St Joseph

Ave Maria! Mass readings

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Homily #100213 ( 08min) Play – Fr Angelo preaches on the Gospel for the Memorial of Our Lady on a Saturday. Our Lady and St Joseph seek our Lord for three days before finding him in the Temple, but all the while they new the questions that they had in their hearts would be answered. We too need patience in this regard.
Ave Maria! Mass readings Luk 2:43-52

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Marycast #110 ( 10min) Play – Today Dr Miravalle discusses St Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary’s spouse and our spiritual father, as he is mentioned in the messages of Our Lady of America related to Sr Mary Ephrem Neuzil. He explains how St Joseph is the perfect example of a father in a world that has very little appreciation of this role and how he too suffered knowing the future sufferings of his Son, Our Lord.

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com

Ave Maria!

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