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Liturgy of the Hours
Feast of St. Joseph the Worker |
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The Lord is the giver of holiness. Let us turn to him and pray:
Holy God, raise us up to new life in holiness.
Lord our God, you called our fathers in faith to walk before you in holiness of heart,
- may we follow in their footsteps, and obey your command to be perfect.
You chose Joseph the righteous to care for your Son in childhood and youth,
- teach us to care for Christ's body by caring for our brother and sisters.
You entrusted the earth to mankind, to people it and make it prosper,
- inspire us to work wholeheartedly in this world, seeing always to give you glory.
Father of all mankind, do not forget what your hands have made,
- grant that all who work may have secure employment and a fitting standard of living.
Look down to us, Saint Joseph,
Protector of Our Lord,
Who followed you through deserts,
And gave you blessed reward;
Our foes are yet about us,
Be strength now at our side,
Be light against the darkness.
Saint Joseph, be our guide!
We venerate your justice,
The gospels praise your name,
You are the saint all humble,
Who gained eternal fame;
In your devoted family
Our souls in trust confide,
Direct our way to heaven.
Saint Joseph, be our guide.
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.
From the Pastoral constitution on the Church in the modern world of the Second Vatican Council
(Gaudium et spes, nn. 33-34)
The worldwide activity of man
By his labor and abilities man has always striven to improve the quality of his life. Today, particularly by means of science and technology, he has extended his mastery over almost the whole of nature, and still continues to extend it. Through the development of the many means of communication among nations, the human family is coming to see itself, and establish itself, as a single worldwide community. As a result, where formerly man looked especially to supernatural forces for blessings, he now secures many of these benefits for himself, thanks to his own efforts.
In the face of this vast enterprise now engaging the whole human race, men are asking themselves a series of questions. What is the meaning and value of all this activity? How should these benefits be used? Where are the efforts of individuals and communities finally leading us?
The Church is the guardian of the deposit of God's word, from which are drawn the principles of the religious and moral order. Without always having a ready answer to every question, the Church desires to integrate the light of revelation with the skilled knowledge of mankind, so that it may shine on the path which humanity has lately entered.
Those who believe in God take it for granted that, taken by itself, man's activity, both individual and collective - that great struggle in which men in the course of the ages have sought to improve the conditions of human living - is in keeping with God's purpose.
Man, created in God's image, has been commissioned to master the earth and all it contains, and so rule the world in justice and holiness. He is to acknowledge God as the creator of all, and to see himself and the whole universe in relation to God, in order that all things may be subject to man, and God's name be an object of wonder and praise over all the earth.
This commission extends to even the most ordinary activities of everyday life. Where men and women, in the course of gaining a livelihood for themselves and their families, offer appropriate service to society, they can be confident that their personal efforts promote the work of the Creator, confer benefit on their fellowmen, and help to realize God's plan in history.
So far from thinking that the achievements gained by man's abilities and strength are in opposition to God's power, or that man with his intelligence is in some sense a rival to his Creator, Christians are, on the contrary, convinced that the triumphs of the human race are a sign of God's greatness and the effect of his wonderful providence.
The more the power of men increases, the wider is the scope of their responsibilities, as individuals and as communities.
It is clear, then, that the Christian message does not deflect men from the building up of the world, or encourage them to neglect the good of their fellowmen, but rather places on them a stricter obligation to work for these objectives.
RESPONSORY
The Lord God put man in the garden of Eden
- to cultivate the garden and care for it, alleluia.
From the beginning of time, this has been man's lot.
- To cultivate the garden and care for it, alleluia.
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Saints |
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