Novena in Honor of St. Joseph: EIGHTH DAY

(Disclaimer:  I am NOT taking credits for this. The text herein come from a 40-page novena booklet I purchased from St. Paul Bookstore where no author was indicated.  Undertaking the novena has enabled me to come across these beautiful reflections which I would like to share.  It is hence my hope that another soul might find inspiration from the virtues exemplified by the life of. St. Joseph)

NOTE:  These are the text in their entirety.  Emphasis were supplied by me. Please click on images for better/ clearer view.

OBEDIENCE

"The sheep hear My voice, and I know them and they follow Me." (-John 10,27)

OBEDIENCE was an integral part of the life of the foster-father of Jesus.  When the angel informed him as to the real condition of the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph was obedient and did not fear to take Mary as his wife.  When the law ordered that Mary, the expectant Mother, be brought a long distance to be enrolled in a census, St. Joseph obeyed.  When again the angel told St. Joseph to conduct the young mother and the new born Child to Egypt and remain there, though it involved two long years away from home, St. Joseph was obedient.

And same virtue of obedience was so manifested in the life of Jesus Who accepted the commands of Joseph, who accepted the counsels of the Blessed Mother.  St. Joseph saw this obedience of the Divine Child to creature and his own love of this virtue was deepened.  St. Joseph saw Christ from the first moment obedient to the law of nature; he saw Christ obedient to His parents and he knew that Christ was to be obedient unto death, even unto the death of the Cross.

REFLECTION
Of your obedience, it is not merely formal but is it wholehearted?  Do you accept the commands of your superiors and follow them out to the best of your ability?  Do you encourage this virtue in others, in the young especially, so as to better prepare them for life, to make their characters more receptive to the influence of grace?  Are you obedient to your parents, knowing that God has placed them over you, appreciating, too, that they have given you your life, have sacrificed much for you, have prayed and hoped that you would be true and faithful?  In your obligations to the Church, are you obedient, following the precepts, the warnings and counsels to avoid serious sin?  Are you obedient to the graces God may be giving you, perhaps the inestimable grace of a vocation of being a priest, brother or sister?

Prayer

O St. Joseph so faithful to display in thy conduct the o0bedience of Jesus and Mary, obtain for me this important virtue.
Obtain for me a perfect docility of heart to accomplish the will of God, and that of those who replaces Him.  Inspire me  by your example, to obey, with promptness and generosity; obtain for me above all, the grace to obey without murmuring, without reasoning upon the orders given me, in spite of every pretext, and with an entire immolation of my own will.  Amen.