Journey with Mary and Joseph in the Month of May

We have come to the end of our Novenas in conjunction with the Feast of St Joseph the Worker. I noticed the overwhelming crowds throughout the novenas compared to that of last year. All preparations towards the feast of our Patron Saint, St Joseph the Worker went smoothly without any hiccups. All our Presiders for the Novena Masses were from our Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur namely Fathers Surain Raj, James Gabriel, Peter Anthoney, Michael Chua, Mari Arokiam and David Arulandu. We too have a special guest priest from India, Fr. Stephen Jayarad to celebrate with us our patron saint’s feast day.

All our invited priests have made us realise the importance for us to be exemplary of Christ in our community. In this year of Mercy, we as true Catholic Christians, are constantly reminded to be merciful to those with whom we were not patient and to those who showed less patience with us. The priests too have highlighted to us about our duty as Christians in spreading this ongoing “gospel of mercy and love” to one another. As we were listening attentively to their homilies there were few other words which have touched us such as, care, gentleness, tenderness, compassion, listening, friendliness, justice and peace. These words have inspired and motivated us to turn ourselves away from hatred and to become truly merciful and loving persons towards our community.

Today, it is our duty to spread this ongoing good news, the good news of mercy and love every day, everywhere and always. This message of mercy and love can help to give testimony to Christ, to his Church, and to our beautiful Catholic faith, as it transmits the joy and hope of the Gospel.

We are in the month of May, a month that is specially dedicated to Mary and St Joseph as well. The Church encourages us to walk with Mary and Joseph during this month of May and invites us to make time for the Rosary with our BECs or with our families or as individuals. When we pray the Rosary, let us include the litany and novena to St Joseph the Worker. You can get the novena prayer to St Joseph from your BEC leaders or from our parish office. Do give our Lady and our Patron Saint a place in your heart and in your home. In this month of the Rosary, let’s us without fail pray together with Mary and Joseph. 

For those people who don’t seem to pray the Rosary, do carry a rosary with you and get into a habit of reciting at least one or two decades in a day with your friends or families. Let’s not allow this beautiful devotion to fade away like so many other things in our lives. Dear young people, do not let your day pass by without reciting at least one or two decades of the Rosary daily. Mother Mary and Joseph can assist you to get closer to Jesus our Lord.

In your homes where possible place a statue of Mother Mary and St Joseph at your altar and pray together the Rosary and Novena to St Joseph the Worker.

“Call on Mary with devotion, and She will not leave your needs unattended since She is merciful, indeed, the Mother of Mercy,” (St Bernard of Clairvaux).