Introduction
The Seven Sundays Devotion is a long-standing tradition of the Church in preparation for the feast of St. Joseph on March 19. The devotion begins on the seventh Sunday before March 19 and honors the seven joys and seven sorrows that St. Joseph experienced as husband of the Mother of God, faithful guardian of Christ, and head of the holy family. The devotion is a prayerful opportunity to "help us find out what God is telling us through the simple life of Mary's husband" (St. Josemaria Escriva; Christ is Passing By, no. 39).
St. Joseph, Patron and Guardian
"The whole Church recognizes St Joseph as a patron and guardian. For centuries many different features of his life have caught the attention of believers. He was a man ever faithful to the mission God gave him. That is why, for many years now, I have liked to address him affectionately as our father and lord.
"St Joseph really is a father and lord. He protects those who revere him and accompanies them on their journey through this life - just as he protected and accompanied Jesus when he was growing up. As you get to know him, you discover that the holy patriarch is also a master of the interior life - for he teaches us to know Jesus and share our life with him, and to realize that we are part of God's family. St Joseph can teach us these lessons, because he is an ordinary man, a family man, a worker who earned his living by manual labor all of which has great significance and is a source of happiness for us."
— St. Josemaria Escriva
Christ is Passing By, no. 39
St. Josemaria Institute
St. Josemaria Escriva dedicated his priestly life to helping men and women of all backgrounds to understand that ordinary life can be holy and full of God naturally and simply, living in the middle of the world dedicated to one's work and family, sharing in the needs and interests of one's neighbor and society, respecting the freedom of every person, and striving towards holiness.
The St. Josemaria Institute seeks to increase devotion to St. Josemaria and to share his message among all men and women who desire to find meaning and happiness in their daily lives by growing closer to God. Our hope is that people everywhere will have the opportunity to hear the message of St. Josemaria and accept the challenge he set forth in the first point of his spiritual classic, The Way:
"Don't let your life be sterile. Be useful. Blaze a trail. Shine forth with the light of your faith and of your love... light up all the ways of the earth with the fire of Christ that you carry in your heart."