NOVENA TO CHRIST KING
in preparation for the Liturgical Feast
of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Written by Prince Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, Archbishop of Krakow
Day Five
Under the Patronage of Saint Joseph
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
Matthew 1:20
. . . the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
The total sacrifice, whereby Joseph surrendered his whole existence to the demands of the Messiah’s coming into his home, becomes understandable only in the light of his profound interior life. It was from this interior life that “very singular commands and consolations came, bringing him also the logic and strength that belong to simple and clear souls and giving him the power of making great decisions-such as the decision to put his liberty immediately at the disposition of the divine designs, to make over to them also his legitimate human calling, his conjugal happiness, to accept the conditions, the responsibility and the burden of a family but, through an incomparable virginal love, to renounce that natural conjugal love that is the foundation and nourishment of the
family. This submission to God, this readiness of will to dedicate oneself to all that serves Him, is really nothing less than that exercise of devotion which constitutes one expression of the virtue of religion… St Pope John Paul II, The Adhortation Redemptoris custos, 26
Prayer: God of unfathomable kindness, who continuously summonS every person to a life of sainthood. You have summoned Saint Joseph to accept the role and duties of the Guardian of Jesus Christ, Your Son. Lend us Your help so that we may see in Saint Joseph a paragon of Christian virtues following His example of fidelity, justice, assuming a humble role and abandoning one’s own aspirations.
Saint Joseph, be mindful of all souls longing to bear unconditional love to Lord Jesus
and His Mother. May we receive streams of graces through your intercession, so that we may guard the purity of our souls like a treasure to make them a worthy dwelling place for God. Saint Joseph, protect our children and youth from all impurity that destroys Divine life in their souls. We implore you to intercede before God on our behalf so that we may, within our powers and cooperating with Christ’s grace, extend the Divine Kingdom on earth.
Prayer to Jesus Christ King of the Universe
by Adam Stefan Cardinal Sapieha (1927)
O Jesus, Lord of our hearts and immortal King of centuries, we hereby solemnly swear to You to stand faithfully by Your throne and by You. We swear never to blemish Your standard with unbelief, sectarianism or any other apostasy. We vow to You to persevere in the holy Catholic faith until we die.
May our posterity engrave it on our tombstones that we were never embarrassed because of our faith in You, Jesus the King and Your Gospel. May You reign in our hearts through grace. May You reign in our families through family virtues. May You reign in our schools through genuine Catholic upbringing.
May You reign in our society through justice and concord. May You reign everywhere, always and forever. May Your standard be a guide for us all, may Your Kingdom extend to every corner of the earth! Amen
Let us pray. Almighty God, the powerful King of all creation, we humbly beseech You to send the hosts of angels for our protection so that we may serve You with devotion, with no hindrance and in peace. We beseech You through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen
AnaStpaul 