The feast of St. Joseph

Today is the Feast of St. Joseph, husband to our Blessed Mother Mary, and one of my favorite saints!  Reflecting of St. Joseph's life can really bring me to a place of wonder.  Can you imagine having your betrothed come to you and say that she was pregnant (not yours, that you know for certain) and that the Holy Spirit came to her and told her that she was carrying the Son of God?  That has to be a tough one to understand and accept even for the most devout among us.  Joseph wasn't perfect, it took him a little while and even a little heavenly visit to get him all the way to acceptance, but certainly he got there much faster than most of us would, and then he was totally on board!  Just imagine the awesome responsibility of raising the son of God - you don't want to screw that one up now do you?  His life is one of hard work, devotion to his wife and son and a strong faith that led him through some seriously tough times.   He really relied on God to lead him and then he stepped up and led his family.  No wonder he is the patron saint of fathers among other thing!

St. Joseph's day is celebrated around the world, but it is especially beloved by the Italians and since I married into an Italian family, I'm trying to learn more about the feast day traditions!  I know that one big thing is St. Joseph cakes, which in our area are impossible to find, so there is always the internet to hunt out cook recipes!  One on my favorite blogs is Catholic Cuisine www.catholiccuisine.blogspot.com .  She always has an abundance of recipes and celebration ideas for every imaginable catholic holiday, so check her out!!

If you are interested in learning more about this amazing man check out this link... http://www.ewtn.com/saintsholy/saints/J/stjoseph.asp  and a novena to St. Joesph is at http://www.ewtn.com/Devotions/novena/joseph.htm .

I hope you have a fabulous feast of St. Joseph!