Garden Diary

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Yesterday we set up our St. Joseph's Table

at the parish church. This is the third year that our St. Vincent de Paul Society has sponsored the St. Joseph's table.



Several of us spent the week baking, and piled the table surrounding the icon of St. Joseph high with cakes, breads, cookies and candies. Most of what we bring is sold after the blessing, and that money is used to buy food for the poor of the parish; and the rest of the food is saved for the poor as well.

The blessing of the table is found in the Book of Blessings (and the Shorter Book of Blessings).

Today we honor the memory of Saint Joseph,
husband of the Virgin Mary and patron of the universal Church.
We rejoice at this table,
which is a sign of God's generous blessings
and of our call to serve the poor and hungry.
We pray that through the intercession of Saint Joseph
we too might join the saints
at the banquet of the Lord in the heavenly kingdom.

Let us pray,

All-provident God,
the good things that grace this table
remind us of your many good gifts.

Bless this food,
and may the prayers of Saint Joseph,
who provided bread for your Son and food for the poor,
sustain us and all our brothers and sisters
on our journey towards your heavenly kingdom.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Father David O'Donnell blesses the St. Joseph Table at Christ the King Church, Brockton

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