If you’re looking for companionship for your Lenten journey, seeking to befriend a saint in heaven, or just want to deepen your prayer life, you can look to the great St. Joseph to fill those gaps. Starting today, join us as we pray the St. Joseph Novena, leading up to his feast day on March 19th. You can pray it any time for the next nine days here. In the spirit of the occasion, here are 9 reasons why we should all pray the St. Joseph Novena:   1. We fruitfully participate in the Year of St. Joseph 2021 is dedicated as the Year of St. Joseph, and if you’re looking for a way to intentionally participate, the St. Joseph Novena is a great place to start! You can also read about other ways you can observe the Year of St. Joseph here.    2. We gain a new friend in Heaven Saints can not only  be our intercessors in heaven, they can also be our friends! If you haven’t asked St. Joseph to intercede for you before, this nine day commitment is a great way to start a friendship with him. You’ll be surprised where else he pops up in your life thereafter! Who knows, maybe he’s been showing up in your life in ways you previously didn’t realize.   3. We can relate to him in many surprising ways Workers, travellers, fathers, preborn children, families, homes, people who are doubtful, who are sick and dying, and the Universal Church. These are just some of the many patronages the great Saint Joseph holds. From birth to life, despondency to happiness, St. Joseph’s patronage spans the entirety of our human experience.   4. He’s the real deal Fun fact: one of the titles attributed to him in the Litany of St. Joseph is “Terror of Demons”. If that doesn’t tell you something about his spunk, I don’t know what will!   5. We learn about the power of silence Though we can’t entirely know a single word uttered by St. Joseph, we know his silence in Scripture is purposeful and intentional. Through him, we learn that there’s grace and peace in stillness. After each day in the novena, and in our prayer lives in general, we should lean into the silence that greets us after: the Spirit awaits us there.   6. We know he will follow through for us  St. Joseph’s actions speak louder than his words. He is faithful to God, keeps his promises to Mary, and diligently protects Jesus. He is a man of his word and always follows through for the people he loves. We can trust he’ll do the same for us.   7. We learn to entrust our lives to God without knowing what lies ahead Unlike Mary, St. Joseph never got to see Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. Still, he entrusted his life to God, confident that life thereafter would be even more rewarding. With Jesus and Mary by his side when he drew his last breath, he is known as the Patron Saint of a Happy Death.   8. He is a great companion for our spiritual journey Whatever journey you’re on, St. Joseph can be the reliable companion walking alongside you. He was responsible for bringing Mary to Bethlehem, where they later bore their son, Jesus. Whatever awaits you in your personal Bethlehem, know that St. Joseph can safely take you there.   9. He is the patron of the Universal Church  A beautiful thing about praying to the saints in Heaven is knowing that many other people around the world, across generations over time, have done the same. Have confidence in the fact that many of our brothers and sisters in Christ have prayed to and befriended the great St. Joseph. Many miracles have been attributed to him, both big and small. Take a chance on him and see what miracles pop into your life!