 From: MorningOffering Website | † Quote of the Day "We have close to us as much as Joseph had at Nazareth; we have our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, but our poor eyes fail to see Him. Let us once become interior souls and we shall immediately see. In no better way can we enter into the Heart of our Lord than through Saint Joseph. Jesus and Mary are eager to pay the debts which they owe him for his devoted care of them, and their greatest pleasure is to fulfill his least desire. Let him, then, lead you by hand into the interior sanctuary of Jesus Eucharistic." -St. Peter Julian Eymard Today's Meditation "St. Joseph is the most Marian of all saints...There has never been a greater Marian saint than St. Joseph and there never will be. St. Joseph is the model for total consecration to Mary. Long before Calvary, when Jesus commanded all of his disciples to take Mary into their hearts and homes (see Jn 19:26-27), St. Joseph had already taken Mary into his heart and into his home. She is his heart; she is his home. Everything he did was done for Jesus and Mary. He lived and died for Jesus and Mary." —Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, p. 121
An excerpt from Consecration to St. Joseph Daily Verse "When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples, he found them sleeping from grief. He said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test."" -Luke 22:45-46 |  EWTN Daily Saint | | St Joseph St. Joseph (1st c.) was a descendant of Israel's King David and a carpenter by trade. Scripture tells us that he was a just and virtuous man who was betrothed to the young Blessed Virgin Mary. Upon finding her pregnant with the Son of God, Joseph, after a time of uncertainty, was encouraged by an angel to continue with the marriage plans. Because of his complete faithfulness and obedience to the will of God, St. Joseph was chosen to become the spouse of the Mother of God and the adoptive father of Jesus Christ. As the divinely-appointed earthly guardian and protector of the Holy Family, St. Joseph provided and cared for the material needs of Mary and the Child Jesus. St. Joseph is the patron saint of many causes, especially fathers, families, married couples, children, pregnant women, workers, craftsmen, against doubt, the dying, and a happy and holy death. He is also the guardian and protector of the Universal Church. He has two feast days: St. Joseph the Husband of Mary on March 19th, and St. Joseph the Worker on May 1st. However, when St. Joseph's feast day on March 19th falls on a Sunday it is moved to the Monday and celebrated on March 20th. | Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary Lectionary: 543 Reading 1 2 Samuel 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 Psalm 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. Reading 2 Romans 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 Psalm 84:5 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord;
they never cease to praise you. 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. | Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! |  From Word Among Us WAU.org | Daily Meditation: Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24 Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. (Matthew 1:20) When someone close to you—a spouse or a dear friend or a business partner—does or says something that disappoints you, it can throw you for a loop. You might even respond by saying or doing something out of character yourself. We can imagine that St. Joseph, whose feast we celebrate today, experienced that level of disappointment when he discovered that his betrothed, Mary, was pregnant. In today's Gospel, we see that in spite of his swirling emotions and the many questions Joseph must have had, he didn't lash out at Mary in anger or accusation. He seems to have taken his time to discern what to say and do. Then, after considering his options, he "decided to divorce her quietly" (Matthew 1:19). In that decision, he gave up the plans he had made for the future he might have dreamed they would have together, and he accepted the humiliating shame of the scandal—both for Mary and for himself. We know the rest of the story: an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and set him straight about Mary's pregnancy. Joseph then accepted God's calling for him and went on to raise Jesus as his own son. But let's consider how we can learn from Joseph's response to Mary's seeming betrayal. First, be honest with God. As Joseph took time before making a decision, he surely brought the reality of the situation to the Lord in prayer. There, he considered the commands of God's law along with his love for Mary. Similarly, you can tell God about your situation, including any hurt or anger you may be feeling toward the other person or even toward the Lord. Second, remain open to God. Even as you are deciding how to handle the situation before you, keep in mind that God may want to lead you in a different direction. Like Joseph, be brave and humble enough to change course. Be honest. Remain open. Do this, and you can trust that God will lead you. He will give you the wisdom you are asking for. And even better, he will give you a heart of love for the people in your life. "St. Joseph, pray that I may trust in God even when I'm hurt or unsure about what to do." 2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16
Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29
Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Audio of 2 Cents | From today's Holy Gospel: ".. 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. ..." | From Roberto Juarez: "The Gospel concludes with a simple but impressive sentence: "When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him." Here is Joseph's greatness. He does not argue. He does not ask for explanations.
He does not delay the decision. Obey.
Their faith does not remain in feelings, but becomes concrete action. This is true biblical faith: listening to God and putting his word into practice. Joseph does not speak in the Gospels, but he acts.
Their silence is not empty; it is a silence full of listening, of availability, of trust.
In a world full of noise, words and opinions, Joseph teaches us the value of inner silence. Only those who know how to be silent can listen to the voice of God. Joseph has been called a custodian many times. Guardian of Mary. Guardian of Jesus. Guardian of the mystery of salvation. God places in his hands the greatest: his own Son.
And José takes care, protects, accompanies.
Their mission is not to be a protagonist, but to serve God's plan from discretion.
The figure of Joseph is very topical. It teaches us: To live the faith in everyday life, without the need for protagonism. To trust God even when we don't understand everything. To unite justice and mercy. To obey God's will promptly. To take care of others with responsibility and love. Joseph reminds us that holiness is not always manifested in extraordinary things, but in daily faithfulness.
On this Solemnity of St. Joseph, let us ask the Lord to learn from his example. May we know how to listen to God's voice in the midst of our doubts. May we have the courage to trust in their plans, even when they are beyond us. And that, like Joseph, we make the word we have heard come to life. Because in the end, holiness consists in that: doing what God asks of us, with faith, humility and love. May St. Joseph intercede for us and teach us to live as true disciples." end quote.
Churchpop with EWTN once said: What were the Child Jesus' first words to Saint Joseph? While the Gospels provide little information about Saint Joseph, the Spanish mystic and nun Venerable Mary of Ágreda revealed the alleged answer to this question. In Sister Ágreda's private revelations, she recounted that Saint Joseph expressed his admiration and praise to the Lord, together with the Virgin, when Jesus looked at him and said: "My Father, I came from heaven to earth to be the light of the world and to redeem it from the darkness of sin; to seek and know my sheep as a good shepherd, to give them pasture and food for eternal life, to teach them the way to get there and to open the doors which had been closed due to their sins. I therefore want you both to be children of the light, since you have it so close to you." (681) What was the first word the Child Jesus said to Saint Joseph? These words flooded Saint Joseph's heart with love, reverence, and joy. He then humbly knelt before the Child Jesus and thanked him because the first word he heard was "Father." Through tears, he then asked the Lord that His divine light would shine upon him and guide him in the fulfillment of his perfect will. "Saint Joseph was not the natural father of the child God, but putative; however, the love that he bore him, exceeded without measure all that with which the natural fathers have loved their children, because in him grace and also nature were stronger than in others, indeed more than in all fathers put together." (682)
I often look to the words of Blessed Sister Anne Emmerich in her suffering accounts and visions, and her accounts of Saint Joseph tie things in beautifully. She said: " Joseph was five and forty years old. He was thirty years and, I think, three months older than Mary. He was thin, had a fair complexion, prominent cheekbones tinged with red, a high, open forehead, and a brownish beard"
He was chosen carefully as they were all a part of the Essene Jewish sect that were living holy lives and working fervently in bringing the Messiah into the world. These men were married according to who they saw would fit the roles best for the Messiah to come. Saint Joseph was sought after, after his brothers were not a fit for the Virgin Mother Mary. It reminded me of them looking for David to be the future King. And it is fitting too because Saint Joseph's brothers ousted him, Saint Joseph had actually run away because of how bad his brothers treated him.
Ai is now helping me remember:
"According to Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich's visions in
The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph was a quiet, devout, and humble man, not ambitious, who worked as a carpenter in Lebanon. He left his parents' home, where his brothers treated him poorly, to earn his own living. He was known for fervent prayer, waiting for the Messiah, and a special devotion to purity."
Just like Joseph in the Old Testament, Saint Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, was ousted, but would usher in God's Kingdom through the Savior.
Sister Anne Emmerich's readings are long so I am trying to summarize this quickly for you.
This is nothing at all like the many volumes of Luisa Picareti's "Book of Heaven" which goes real deep and you cannot stop if you want to be revealed it's entire message. I digress.
Saint Joseph is said to be in the bible "a righteous man". Very few men are given this title.
And if you read more of his life according to Sister Anne, his humble outlook has one astounded. Righteousness and just is absolutely the correct description for him.
And since this is a faith sharing and grow moment, how can we benefit from this man and story?
The whole Saint Joseph thing is just now trying to gain more and more attention in the Catholic Church. He has been a silent and admirable figure for us, but the devotions to him are just now seeming to grow as we honor him more now. Indeed, today is said to be the highest solemnity of lent before Holy Week.
By honoring Saint Joseph, we do the same as Jesus our Lord. We honor His father and mother. And we ought to do this. Why? Because, when we are baptized into Jesus, we are the Jesus that offers in a unique way, in your own life, His mother and father. It is actually very amazing.
Let us then, honor Saint Joseph, with prayers, and admiration and seek guidance for our daily lives where we sorely need true humility and obedience... a very true love of God. |  Click for Audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Hebrews 10:23 "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." . . . Word of the Lord! | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
