8 Ways to honor St. Joseph on his feast day

A couple of years ago our family read this book about consecration to St. Joseph. There are a lot of helpful resources about this giant of a saint, and I gained a whole new appreciation and devotion to him.

Here are some ways to honor St. Joseph on his feast day, March 19th.

Thank a carpenter in your life and look out for beautiful woodwork in the places you go today. St. Joseph taught Jesus his trade -- so the son of God made beautiful things out of wood just like his foster dad. I know I’ll take a minute to appreciate the detail in the balustrades on our staircase and windowsills in our old house, as well as the craftsmanship of a wooden dresser that we have.

Take a break from music or podcasts today, whether that is on your commute or while you exercise or do the dishes, etc. We have no recorded words of St. Joseph in the gospel so spend some time in silence when you wouldn't otherwise. Try praying the Joyful mysteries of the rosary instead and meditate on St. Joseph’s role in the events of Christ’s life.

Pray prayers of thanksgiving for your housing situation (especially if you have ever buried a statue of the man in your backyard!). Even if you are not particularly happy with where you are living right now, having a roof over your head is a blessing. Ask St. Joseph to help you see the good things about your space, because he lived quite the transient life there for a bit in Bethlehem and Egypt before settling down in Nazareth.

God spoke to St. Joseph in his dreams. Pray for his intercession as you fall asleep tonight for peace while you sleep. There is a statue of St. Joseph that depicts him asleep. Many use it by writing down their worries or prayer intentions and placing them under the statue. In fact, Pope Francis has a special devotion to St. Joseph, and has a sleeping statue of him.

Call your dad or at least pray for him today. Think of all the reasons you are grateful for your father today, and if he is alive, let him know what you appreciate about him. St. Joseph is the foster father of Jesus, and his intercession can help ease tensions and pain in father-son or father-daughter relationships.

Find a bakery near you that sells them or try your hand at making zeppole, a traditional Italian pastry for the feast of St. Joseph. If you don’t have a star tip and pastry bag, you can just use a gallon Ziplock bag with a little bit of the corner cut off. 

Pray for an increase in purity. Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). Depictions of St. Joseph often show him with a lily to symbolize his purity—and St. Joseph not only saw God, but held his hand, rocked him to sleep, and taught him the words of the Psalms. St. Joseph’s intercession can help us defeat lust, as well as purify our intentions in everything we do.

Have something you would normally give up during Lent. It is a solemnity, which is the feast day that ranks the highest in the Catholic church. So, today is a great day to loosen or lessen your Lenten penance while celebrating St. Joseph. 

St. Joseph, pray for us!