May 1 -- the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker

It's May Day, the first of May, and if you've been a reader here for long, you know that on every day in May I write a post dedicated to our Holy Mother of Jesus. Jesus came to us through Mary, and we go to Him through her, because, as the joke goes, no Jewish boy ever said "no" to his mother. 

But, joking aside, Jesus does as His mother asks, if it is God's will, and Mary, as mother to us all, takes our requests and wraps them up beautifully before she presents them to her son, so they can be received in the best possible light.

Today is also May 1, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. 

St. Joseph has been hearing from me a lot lately, as he is patron of fathers and workers, and we have a father who needs work. So, today, on this first of May, I am dedicating my first "Every Day in May for Mary" post to St. Joseph, who cared and protected not only the Son of God during His earthly life, but His Holy Mother as well.

Francisco Ribalta

Nativity · The Holy Family (1610)

Litany of St. Joseph

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, 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.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

Renowned offspring of David, pray for us.

Light of Patriarchs, pray for us.

Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.

Chaste guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.

Foster father of the Son of God, pray for us.

Diligent protector of Christ, 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 strong, 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 artisans, pray for us.

Glory of home life, pray for us.

Guardian of virgins, pray for us.

Pillar of families, pray for us.

Solace of the wretched, pray for us.

Hope of the sick, pray for us.

Patron of the dying, pray for us.

Terror of demons, pray for us.

Protector of Holy Church, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
  spare us, O Lord!.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
  graciously hear us, O Lord!.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
  have mercy on us.

V. He made him the lord of his household.

R. And prince over all his possessions.

Let us pray. O God, in your ineffable providence you were pleased to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother; grant, we beg you, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom on earth we venerate as our Protector: You who live and reign forever and ever. R. Amen.