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Solemnity of St. Joseph (Mar 19)

March 19, 2024

Fr. John Colacino C.PP.S.

OPENING HYMN

Come now and praise the humble saint

of David's house and line,

the carpenter whose life fulfilled

our gracious God's design.

For him there was no glory here,

no crown or martyr's fame,

for him there was the patient life

of faith and humble name.

But now within the Father's grace

where saints and angels throng

beside his spouse, before the Son,

he sings the glorious song.

COLLECT

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that by Saint Joseph's intercession
your Church may constantly watch over
the unfolding of the mysteries of human salvation,
whose beginnings you entrusted to his faithful care.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

FIRST READING 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16

The LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
“Go, tell my servant David,
‘When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his kingdom firm.
It is he who shall build a house for my name.
And I will make his royal throne firm forever.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.’”

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29

R/. The son of David will live for ever.

The promises of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness,
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. R/.

“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.” R/.

“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.’
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.” R/.

SECOND READING Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22

Brothers and sisters:
It was not through the law
that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants
that he would inherit the world,
but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
For this reason, it depends on faith,
so that it may be a gift,
and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants,
not to those who only adhere to the law
but to those who follow the faith of Abraham,
who is the father of all of us, as it is written,
I have made you father of many nations.
He is our father in the sight of God,
in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead
and calls into being what does not exist.
He believed, hoping against hope,
that he would become the father of many nations,
according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be.
That is why it was credited to him as righteousness.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL Ps 84:5

GOSPEL Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
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.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.

MEDITATION

The man whose heart is in accord with God’s makes no display, nor does God choose him for his appearance or by listening to the voice of the people. When Samuel was sent to the house of Jesse to find David, the great man destined by God for the world’s most glorious throne was not known even to his family (cf. 1 Sm 16). He was not thought of while his older brothers were being brought before the prophet. Yet God, who does not judge as man does, secretly warned Samuel not to regard their great stature or hardy countenance. And so rejecting those who had been put forward in the world, he bid to approach the one who had been sent to watch the sheep, and pouring the oil of royalty upon his head, he left his parents astonished to have so little known the son chosen by God for such an extraordinary advantage.

A similar design of divine providence allows us to apply what was said of David to Joseph, the son of David. The time had come when God sought a man after his own heart in order to place in his hands what was dearest to him: the person of his Only Begotten Son, the integrity of his holy Mother, the salvation of mankind, the treasure of heaven and earth. He overlooks Jerusalem and the other famous towns and rests his gaze upon Nazareth, and from this unknown hamlet chooses an unknown man, a poor craftsman, Joseph, and entrusts to him a work that would not bring shame to the highest order of angels, so that we might understand that the man after God’s own heart must be sought in the heart and is made worthy by his hidden virtues…. Joseph merited the greatest honors because he was never touched by honor. The Church has nothing more illustrious, because it has nothing more hidden. May the Almighty God ensure that we shall always revere Joseph’s hidden virtue.

Bishop Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

INTERCESSIONS

All fatherhood in heaven and on earth has its origin in God. Let us turn to him and pray:
Our Father in heaven, hear our prayer.

All-holy Father, you revealed to St. Joseph your eternal plan of salvation in Christ,
  - deepen our understanding of your Son, true God and true man.

Father in heaven, you feed the birds of the air and clothe the fields with the fruit of the earth,
  - give all your children their daily bread to sustain soul and body.

Maker of the universe, you have entrusted your creation to our safekeeping,
  - may all who work receive a just reward for their labors.

God of all righteousness, you want us all to be like you,
  - May St. Joseph inspire us all to walk always in your way of holiness.

Look kindly on the dying and dead, and grant them your mercy,
  - through the intercession of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

OFFERTORY (John Michael Talbot)

Hear, my son, your father’s teaching
Reject not your mother’s song

A graceful crown, a royal diadem
Will they be for the crowning of your soul
Crying aloud is the voice of Wisdom
In open squares and the streets of your soul

So the sinners entice you and say
“Come along.” Hold back your foot from their path
For their way is quick to shed blood
And death will come back on them each and everyone

Happy the man who finds Wisdom
Her profit is better than silver or gold
When you are young, disdain not discipline
And you’ll be honored when you grow old

She is like the tree of life
By Wisdom all of the earth was founded
The depths break open, the clouds poured down rain
Let not lady Wisdom escape you

Hear, my song, your Father’s teaching
Reject not Wisdom’s song

O God, ever faithful to your covenant, you strengthened Saint Joseph to embrace the mystery of your will and to welcome your Word, made flesh of the Virgin Mary. Keep your Church also steadfast in faith, ready to trust in your promises and eager to fulfil your saving purpose. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. (ICEL; 1998)

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