We finished loading the car at 4:30 AM (after way too little sleep!) and were on the road by just after 5:00 AM… After our first few (of way too many!) hours on the road, we picked up a little treat for today’s solemnity of St. Joseph! {The kids loved their doughnuts, but they weren’t nearly as sweet as the little surprise dear St. Joseph had in store for us just a few hours later!}
After a few more hours on the road it was time for another little break… I knew we were too late for Mass (we had looked up Mass times before leaving home) plus we all looked like we had just rolled out of bed (our youngest was even still in his pjs) but we decided to drive by the church anyway. Guess who I happened to run into in the parking lot?! It was so fun to see her family, attend the end of the Solemn High Mass (after tidying ourselves up a bit), visit with the priests and parishioners, and join them for their traditional St. Joseph’s Table!
Each year we usually set up our own St. Joseph Altar at home, but this was the first time we have ever seen one at a parish!!! The kids enjoyed all the traditional foods including all the pastries, various bread shapes, and the Pasta Milanese, the traditional St. Joseph’s feast pasta, made with fennel, anchovies, pine nuts, and topped with toasted bread crumbs (Mudica) which represent the sawdust of St. Joseph, the carpenter. It was such a wonderful, unexpected blessing for our family! Deo Gratias!
As we pulled in last night (late on St. Joseph’s Day), and saw this beautiful chapel for the first time, our ten year old asked,”Can I wear my Easter dress for Mass tomorrow? I don’t think any of my other clothes are nice enough!”
Glorious St. Joseph, protect me and my family from all evil as you did the Holy Family. Kindly keep us ever united in the love of Christ, ever fervent in imitation of the virtue of our Blessed Lady, your sinless spouse, and always faithful in devotion to you. Amen.
0 Comments