I was thinking of Saint Joseph on Fathers Day, yesterday. In honor of him, the Father of Fathers, the one man from the human race that our Heavenly Father chose to raise His beloved only Son, here is a brand new prayer. I wrote this prayer 11 years ago, felt embarrassed by it, and stuck it in a drawer. As I was considering what I should post today, I thought of this prayer and wondered if I could find it. I found it right away. I know I wrote it 11 years ago because it was written on a donation envelope for the 2005 "Catholic Ministries Appeal." I've edited it very slightly. I've learned something in the past 11 years: Life is too short to worry about perfection....or, as Leonard Cohen put it, "Forget your perfect offering, there is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." I'm getting too old to care. I just want to do my work, good or bad, and at least I can say I tried. In writing this prayer, I was going for the "Hail Mary" of Saint Joseph. I thought there should be such a prayer-easy to remember, short and to the point......
O Saint Joseph
O Saint Joseph, Guardian of Our Lord and Our Lady, intercede for us before the Divine Majesty. O holy and humble carpenter, pray for God's children in all our great need. We pray this in the Name of the Christ Child, once held in your loving arms. Amen.