March 19
Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intentions
9:00 AM – John McNamara / Family
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Readings
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
Psalms 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
R. (37) 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. The son of David will live for ever.
“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. The son of David will live for ever.
“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. The son of David will live for ever.
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.
Gospel Acclamation
Psalms 84:5
R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!
Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord;
they never cease to praise you.
R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!
Gospel
Matthew 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.
“The son of David will live for ever.”
Reflection
From Pope Francis in Patris Corde (With a heart of a Father), emphasis added:
"The Polish writer Jan Dobraczyński, in his book The Shadow of the Father, tells the story of Saint Joseph’s life in the form of a novel. He uses the evocative image of a shadow to define Joseph. In his relationship to Jesus, Joseph was the earthly shadow of the heavenly Father: he watched over him and protected him, never leaving him to go his own way. We can think of Moses’ words to Israel: “In the wilderness… you saw how the Lord your God carried you, just as one carries a child, all the way that you travelled” (Deut 1:31). In a similar way, Joseph acted as a father for his whole life."
There is significant food for meditation here...pondering this great mystery of St. Joseph's life. Can you imagine Joseph as "the shadow of our heavenly Father" present for Jesus here on earth? Can you imagine him loving Jesus, holding him as a father holds his beloved son close to his chest, caring for him, working so he could support Mary and Jesus, putting food on the table...try to envision the home life that cared and nourished Jesus. Pope Francis refers to this sacred environment as the "School of Joseph."
St. Thomas Aquinas writes, "An exceptional divine mission calls for a corresponding degree of grace." And how true this is! What a vocation to be called to, Foster Father to the Word Incarnate, and Joseph in humility executes it through an abundance of grace. A fruit of this grace certainly would have given Joseph tremendous happiness, profound joy of being able to embrace the Lord in such an intimate and tangible way--and yet we are also called and invited to share this same intimacy with Jesus. He not only allows himself to be held by us, but for us to also consume him. His divine substance, his very life itself is given to us that it may be mingled with our own flesh and blood to transform us (Really this is a level of closeness beyond what Joseph would've experienced!).
St. Joseph's intercession is so powerful, and we shouldn't underestimate what keeping him nearby can do for us--he was a hidden, simple, hardworking man, there was seemingly nothing extraordinary about him who nevertheless did his best to cooperate with the grace of God in the vocation to which he was called. Such is the reality for us! Not much extraordinary about us, and yet the Lord entrusts his very presence to each of us everyday! May we live like Joseph and be the shadow of our heavenly Father's love present for all those we encounter.
St. Joseph, please pray for us!
Peace,
Fr. Foley
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