St Joseph, Morning Prayer

ST. JOSEPH
Morning Prayer
March 19
______

Domine labia mea aperies
et os meum adnuntiabit laudem tuam.

Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us.
Hagios ho theos, hagios ischyros, hagios athanatos,
eleison imas.
Sanctus Deus, Sanctus Fortis, Sanctus Immortalis,
miserere nobis.

CHANT
Joseph + was the husband of Mary, *
who gave birth to Jesus called Messiah.

The angel Gabriel + was sent from God to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David; *
the virgin's name was Mary.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, + was betrothed to Joseph; *
before they came together, she found that she was with child by the Holy Spirit.

Being a man of principle, + yet wanting to save her from exposure, *
Joseph desired to have the marriage set aside quietly.

Do not be afraid + to take Mary home with you as your wife. *
It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived the child.

VENITE Psalm 95:1-7

Antiphon: Let us praise Christ the Lord as we celebrate the feast of Saint Joseph.

Come let us sing to the Lord; *
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *
and the heights of the hills are his also.

The sea is his, for he made it, *
and his hands have molded the dry land.

Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *
Today, if you would hearken to his voice
harden not your hearts.

Antiphon: Let us praise Christ the Lord as we celebrate the feast of Saint Joseph.

Lord God, you are God and your words are truth; you have made this generous promise to your servant. Do, then, bless the house of your servant that it may be before you forever; for you, Lord God, have promised, and by your blessing the house of your servant shall be blessed forever. --2 Samuel 7:28-29

HYMN

CAELITUM, Ioseph, decus, atque nostrae
certa spes vitae, columenque mundi,
quas tibi laeti canimus, benignus
suscipe laudes.

Te, satum David, statuit Creator
Virginis sponsum, voluitque Verbi
te patrem dici, dedit et ministrum
esse salutis.

Tu, Redemptorem stabulo iacentem,
quem chorus vatum cecinit futurum,
aspicis gaudens, sociusque matris
primus adoras.

Rex Deus regum, dominator orbis,
cuius ad nutum tremit infernorum
turba, cui pronus famulatur aether,
se tibi subdit.

Laus sit excelsae Triadi perennis,
quae, tibi insignes tribuens honores,3
et tuis nobis meritis beatae
gaudia vitae.
JOSEPH, the praise and glory of the heavens,
sure pledge of life, and safety of the wide world,
as in our joy we sing to thee, in kindness
Hear now our praises.

David's descendent, decreed by the Creator
spouse of the Virgin; thee He willed to honor
naming thee Father of the Word and guardian
of our salvation.

When the Redeemer, whom the prophets' chorus
long had predicted, lay within the manger,
glad was your spirit, while in adoration
lowly you knelt there.

God, King of kings, and Governor of the ages,
He at whose word the powers of hell do tremble,
He whom the adoring heavens ever worship
called thee protector.

Praise to the Triune Godhead ever-lasting,
Who with such honor mightily hath blest thee;
O may He grant us thy blest petition
joys everlasting.

The Psalter

Antiphon: The shepherds went in haste and found Joseph and Mary, and the infant lying in the manger.

Psalm 63
Deus, Deus meus

1: O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; *
my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you,
as in a barren and dry land where there is no water.
2: Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place, *
that I might behold your power and your glory.
3: For your loving-kindness is better than life itself; *
my lips shall give you praise.
4: So will I bless you as long as I live *
and lift up my hands in your Name.
5: My soul is content, as with marrow and fatness, *
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips,
6: When I remember you upon my bed, *
and meditate on you in the night watches.
7: For you have been my helper, *
and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.
8: My soul clings to you; *
your right hand holds me fast.

Antiphon: The shepherds went in haste and found Joseph and Mary, and the infant lying in the manger.

Antiphon: Joseph and Mary, the mother of Jesus, marveled at what was said of their child, and Simeon blessed them.

Psalm 132

Memento, Domine

1: LORD, remember David, *
and all the hardships he endured;
2: How he swore an oath to the LORD *
and vowed a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3: "I will not come under the roof of my house, *
nor climb up into my bed;
4: I will not allow my eyes to sleep, *
nor let my eyelids slumber;
5: Until I find a place for the LORD, *
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."
6: "The ark! We heard it was in Ephratah; *
we found it in the fields of Jearim.
7: Let us go to God's dwelling place; *
let us fall upon our knees before his footstool."
8: Arise, O LORD, into your resting-place, *
you and the ark of your strength.
9: Let your priests be clothed with righteousness; *
let your faithful people sing with joy.
10: For your servant David's sake, *
do not turn away the face of your Anointed.

Antiphon: Joseph and Mary, the mother of Jesus, marveled at what was said of their child, and Simeon blessed them.

Antiphon: Joseph rose in the night and took the child and his mother into Egypt. There they stayed until the death of Herod.
11: The LORD has sworn an oath to David; *
in truth, he will not break it:
12: "A son, the fruit of your body *
will I set upon your throne.
13: If your children keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them, *
their children will sit upon your throne for evermore."
14: For the LORD has chosen Zion; *
he has desired her for his habitation:
15: "This shall be my resting-place for ever; *
here will I dwell, for I delight in her.
16: I will surely bless her provisions, *
and satisfy her poor with bread.
17: I will clothe her priests with salvation, *
and her faithful people will rejoice and sing.
18: There will I make the horn of David flourish; *
I have prepared a lamp for my Anointed.
19: As for his enemies, I will clothe them with shame; *
but as for him, his crown will shine."

Antiphon: Joseph rose in the night and took the child and his mother into Egypt. There they stayed until the death of Herod.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper,
et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

FIRST READING          Isaiah 63:7-16
I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord,
   the praiseworthy acts of the Lord,
because of all that the Lord has done for us,
   and the great favour to the house of Israel
that he has shown them according to his mercy,
   according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
For he said, 'Surely they are my people,
   children who will not deal falsely';
and he became their saviour
   in all their distress.
It was no messenger or angel
   but his presence that saved them;
in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;
   he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

But they rebelled
   and grieved his holy spirit;
therefore he became their enemy;
   he himself fought against them.
Then they remembered the days of old,
   of Moses his servant.
Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea
   with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is the one who put within them
   his holy spirit,
who caused his glorious arm
   to march at the right hand of Moses,
who divided the waters before them
   to make for himself an everlasting name,
   who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in the desert,
   they did not stumble.
Like cattle that go down into the valley,
   the spirit of the Lord gave them rest.
Thus you led your people,
   to make for yourself a glorious name.
Look down from heaven and see,
   from your holy and glorious habitation.
Where are your zeal and your might?
   The yearning of your heart and your compassion?
   They are withheld from me.
For you are our father,
   though Abraham does not know us
   and Israel does not acknowledge us;
you, O Lord, are our father;
   our Redeemer from of old is your name.

CANTICLE          Te Deum Laudamus

English:
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord; we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not shun the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
Latin:
Te deum laudamus
Te dominum confitemur.
Te æternum Patrem
omnis terra veneratur.
Tibi omnes angeli, tibi cæli: et universæ Potestates.
Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim incessabili voce proclamant:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus: Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt cæli et terra majestates gloriæ tuæ.
Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus.
Te Prophetarum laudabilis numerus.
Te Martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus.
Te per orbum terrarum sancta confitetur Ecclesia.
Patrem immensæ majestatis:
Venerandum tuum, verum, et unicum Filium.
Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum.

Tu Rex gloriæ, Christe, tu Patris
sempiternus es Filius.
Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem,
non horruisti Virginis uterum.
Tu devicto mortis aculeo,
aperuisti credentibus regna cælorum.
Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria Patris.
Judex crederis, esse venturus.
Te ergo quæsumus, tuis famulis subveni,
quos pretioso sanguine redemisti.
Aeterna fac cum Sanctis
tuis in Gloria numerari.

SECOND READING Matthew 1:18-25
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

BENEDICTUS Luke 1: 68-79

Antiphon: Joseph lived in the town of Nazareth to fulfill what the prophets had foretold of Christ; He will be called a Nazarean.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old,
that he would save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

Free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

To give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Antiphon: Joseph lived in the town of Nazareth to fulfill what the prophets had foretold of Christ; He will be called a Nazarean.

RESPONSORY
God made him master of his household.
- God made him master of his household.
He gave him charge over all his possessions,
- and made him master of his household.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
- God made him master of his household.

PRAYERS

KONTAKION
Proclaim the wonder, O Joseph,
to David, the ancestor of God:
you saw a Virgin great with Child,
you gave glory with the shepherds,
you worshipped with the Magi,
you received the news from the angel.
Pray to Christ God to save our souls!

COLLECT
O God,
who from the family of your servant David
raised up Joseph to be the guardian of your incarnate Son
and the spouse of his virgin mother:
Give us grace to imitate his uprightness of life and his obedience to your commands;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen

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.

INTERCESSIONS

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, seeking 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.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come; thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

TROPARION
Today godly David is filled with joy;
Joseph and James offer praise.
The glorious crown of their kinship with Christ fills them with great joy.
They sing praises to the One ineffably born on earth,
and they cry out: "O Compassionate One, save those who honor You!"

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.