Joseph of Nazareth, you are the man
Last in the line that rose from David, King,
Down through the royal generations ran,
And ends with Jesus Christ.

Gabriel from heaven came to Mary's side,
Came with the joyful promise of a King,
Came to you also, Joseph, to confide
That God conceived this Child.

Guardian and foster-father of the Christ,
Honor to you, so chosen by our God!
Husband of Virgin Mary, you are first
To show us Christian love.

Melody: Compassion; Text: Stephen Sommerville, 1972

1

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

2

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

3

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

4

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

5

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

6

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

7

For he is our God,
     Tand we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *

8

Today, if you would hear his voice *
     Harden not your hearts.

1

The king rejoices in your strength, O LORD; *
     how greatly he exults in your victory!

2

You have given him his heart's desire; *
     you have not denied him the request of his lips.

3

For you meet him with blessings of prosperity, *
     and set a crown of fine gold upon his head.

4

He asked you for life, and you gave it to him: *
     length of days, for ever and ever.

5

His honor is great, because of your victory; *
     splendor and majesty have you bestowed upon him.

6

For you will give him everlasting felicity *
     and will make him glad with the joy of your presence.

7

For the king puts his trust in the LORD; *
     because of the loving-kindness of the Most High, he will not fall.

14

Be exalted, O LORD, in your might; *
     we will sing and praise your power.

1

It is a good thing to give thanks to the LORD, *
     and to sing praises to your Name, O Most High;

2

To tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning *
     and of your faithfulness in the night season;

3

On the psaltery, and on the lyre, *
     and to the melody of the harp.

4

For you have made me glad by your acts, O LORD; *
     and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands.

5

LORD, how great are your works! *
     your thoughts are very deep.

6

The dullard does not know,
nor does the fool understand, *
     that though the wicked grow like weeds,
     and all the workers of iniquity flourish,

7

They flourish only to be destroyed for ever; *
     but you, O LORD, are exalted for evermore.

8

For lo, your enemies, O LORD,
lo, your enemies shall perish, *
     and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.

9

But my horn you have exalted like the horns of wild bulls; *
     I am anointed with fresh oil.

10

My eyes also gloat over my enemies, *
     and my ears rejoice to hear the doom of the wicked who rise up
                                against me.

11

The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, *
     and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon.

12

Those who are planted in the house of the LORD *
     shall flourish in the courts of our God;

13

They shall still bear fruit in old age; *
     they shall be green and succulent;

14

That they may show how upright the LORD is, *
     my Rock, in whom there is no fault.

Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.  Because of it the ancients were well attested.  By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God, so that what is visible came into being through the invisible.  

By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice greater than Cain's. Through this he was attested to be righteous, God bearing witness to his gifts, and through this, though dead, he still speaks.  

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and "he was found no more because God had taken him." Before he was taken up, he was attested to have pleased God.   But without faith it is impossible to please him, for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.  

By faith Noah, warned about what was not yet seen, with reverence built an ark for the salvation of his household. Through this he condemned the world and inherited the righteousness that comes through faith.  

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go.  By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise;  for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God.  

By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age--and Sarah herself was sterile--for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.  So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.  

All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth,  for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland.  If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return.  But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

RESPONSORY
Romans 4:20,22; James 2:22

He never doubted God's promise
but was strengthened in his faith
and gave glory to God.
 - Therefore through faith he was counted as justified.

Faith was at work in his deeds,
and by his deeds his faith became perfect.
 - Therefore through faith he was counted as justified.

2nd Reading -
From a sermon by Saint Bernadine of Siena
(Sermo 2, de S. Joseph: Opera 7, 16, 27-30)

The faithful foster-father and guardian

There is a general rule concerning all special graces granted to any human being. Whenever the divine favor chooses someone to receive a special grace, or to accept a lofty vocation, God adorns the person chosen with all the gifts of the Spirit needed to fulfil the task at hand.

This general rule is especially verified in the case of Saint Joseph, the foster-father of our Lord and the husband of the Queen of our world, enthroned above the angels. He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph’s wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: “Good and faithful servant enter into the joy of your Lord”.

What then is Joseph’s position in the whole Church of Christ? Is he not a man chosen and set apart? Through him and, yes, under him, Christ was fittingly and honorably introduced into the world. Holy Church in its entirety is indebted to the Virgin Mother because through her it was judged worthy to receive Christ. But after her we undoubtedly owe special gratitude and reverence to Saint Joseph.

In him the Old Testament finds its fitting close. He brought the noble line of patriarchs and prophets to its promised fulfilment. What the divine goodness had offered as a promise to them, he held in his arms.

Obviously, Christ does not now deny to Joseph that intimacy, reverence and very high honor which he gave him on earth, as a son to his father. Rather we must say that in heaven Christ completes and perfects all that he gave at Nazareth.

Now we can see how the last summoning words of the Lord appropriately apply to Saint Joseph: “Enter into the joy of your Lord”. In fact, although the joy of eternal happiness enters into the soul of a man, the Lord preferred to say to Joseph: “Enter into joy”. His intention was that the words should have a hidden spiritual meaning for us. They convey not only that this holy man possesses an inward joy, but also that it surrounds him and engulfs him like an infinite abyss.

Remember us, Saint Joseph, and plead for us to your foster-child. Ask your most holy bride, the Virgin Mary, to look kindly upon us, since she is the mother of him who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns eternally. Amen.

RESPONSORY
See Genesis 45:8; 50:20; Sirach 51:2

God has made me a father to the king
and master of all his household.
 - He has raised me up,
that he might save many people.

The Lord is my helper and protector;
he is my savior,
 - He has raised me up,
that he might save many people.

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.   CONCLUDING PRAYER Father, you entrusted our Savior to the care of Saint Joseph. By the help of his prayers may your Church continue to serve its Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  Home Liturgy Archive Liturgical Year Daily Devotionals Prayers Bibles & Reference The Saints Other Reading Links