St. Joseph Novena Study – Day 3: Man Chosen by God

Welcome to Day 3 of the St. Joseph Novena Study!

Today’s reading, reflection, and lists are based off of this novena reflection from EWTN:

DAY 3: MAN CHOSEN BY THE BLESSED TRINITY

Day 3 St. Joseph List

• Representative of God the Father
• Sanctity
• Imitation of Jesus
• Consecrated to Jesus
• Holiest
• Head of the holy family
• Educate and guide youth of Jesus
• Cooperate as the instrument of the Holy Spirit
• Obeyed
• Carried out work of Holy Spirit
• Full of the spirit and wise (Gen 41:38)

St. Joseph Chosen by God, the Trinity

God is one in the Trinity and St. Joseph serves Him entirely.

In today’s list we have all three persons of the Trinity represented: representative of the Father, imitation of Jesus, and instrument of the Holy Spirit. It is clear that St. Joseph was chosen by God to serve the Trinity.

Many times, I imagine God as Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, but this is a good reminder of the Oneness of God. Like St. Joseph, I want to love and serve God in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

I want to serve the Father, imitate the Son, and obey and listen to the Holy Spirit.

How I Can Serve the Father

I think the best way we can serve the father is to love Him and to love Jesus.

By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

John 15:8-11

In John 15 Jesus gives us a way of serving God, to keep His commandments. He adds that this will lead to complete joy.

As a father, I see that our whole house is more joyful when my 4 year old is in a good mood and is listening well. Out of love we ask her to listen and trust us as parents. I can only imagine how much more God desires our Good and we will be joyful if we trust and follow Him.

How I Can Imitate the Son

There is a whole book written on this topic that is quite famous. The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis has been around for hundreds of years and has been mentioned by many Saints who have read it, including St. Therese of Liseaux, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and St. Alphonsus Liguori!

I have only ever made it through the first few chapters because there is so much to soak in, but here are a couple quotes to give us something to take away today:

“‘HE WHO follows Me, walks not in darkness,’ says the Lord. By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate His life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief effort; therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ.”

“Whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on that of Christ.”

How I Can Be an Instrument of the Holy Spirit

There’s a whole book on this topic too: In the School of the Holy Spirit, by Fr. Jacques Philippe. Like all of Fr. Jacques books this one is concise, yet packed with wisdom.

“The secret of holiness could be described as discovering that we can obtain everything from God, on condition that we know “how to get hold of him.”

“One of the petitions we make to God most often should be: “Inspire me in all my decisions, and never let me neglect any of your inspirations.”

“Once we accept the inspiration and cease to put up resistance to it, then our heart finds itself settled in deep peace.”

St. Joseph was clearly in tune with where the Holy Spirit was leading him. He was led through a dream to lead the Holy Family to Egypt and back. He had a calmness and confidence in carrying this out, that he was able to lead Mary and Jesus.

As I mentioned, each of these could topics takes entire books just to begin talking about, but we have a lifetime to practice it just as St. Joseph did. We can keep him in mind as our example.

St. Joseph, Pray for Us

Joseph was able to serve God the Father by following His commands, imitate Christ while living alongside Him, and follow the Holy Spirit when prompted to lead his family.

St. Joseph, chosen by God, help us to live like you, pray for us!