From: "Trudie" 

March 19th - Saint Joseph, Spouse of Mary.

All of the factual knowledge we have of Joseph is from the first chapter of
the Gospel of Matthew and the 2nd chapter of Luke. Joseph was descended
from the royal line of King David of the Old Testament. He was betrothed to
Mary and was hesitant to continue the engagement when he learned of Mary's
pregnancy. However, in a dream, he learned of the Divine mystery of her
virginal conception and accepted the angel's encouragement, "do not be
afraid to take Mary to be your wife..." (Matt. 1:20).

Because of a Roman census, Joseph had to take Mary four days journey to
Bethlehem, and while there Mary gave birth to "Jesus, the
Christ". (Luke 2:1-7) While in Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary took Jesus
to be presented to God in the temple, as was required by Jewish law (Lk
2:22-38). Later, after the visit of the Magi, Joseph was warned of Herod's
intention to kill Jesus, so he took Mary and Jesus to Egypt for safety
(Matt 2:13-15) and verse 19-23 tells of his returning and making his home
in Nazareth after the death of Herod.

It is in Luke 2:41-51 that we learn of Jesus, at the age of twelve,
accompanying his parents to Jerusalem and staying behind listening and
talking with the teachers. Joseph and Mary are very concerned when they at
last locate him in the temple. They express their concern, but do not
understand Jesus' response that He must be about His Father's business, so
Jesus returns to Nazareth with them. Matt 13:55, tells us that Joseph was a
"craftsman," which tradition has understood as a carpenter.

We know from scripture that Joseph was recognized as the legal father of
Jesus (Matt 1:1-16, Lk 3:23-28). While he did not share in the generation
of Jesus, he must have taken on the responsibility of accepting Jesus as
his son, and he protected and supported Him. He provided, with Mary, his
wife, the earthly home in which Jesus was raised. He would have naturally
developed a very strong paternal bond with Jesus, since he cared for Him
right from his birth in Bethlehem. He would have seen it as his
responsibility to teach his foster-son the moral tenets of his Jewish
faith. It seems only natural that he would have taught Jesus carpentry, as
it was the common tradition that the son always took over the father's
work.

As to Joseph's death, we can only speculate. He doesn't appear after the
infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke and he was certainly dead when Jesus
gave Mary into the care of John at the crucifixion (Jn. 19:27). It seems he
lived long enough for Jesus to grow to an age and ability to care for Mary
after Joseph's death.

Perhaps what is most important for this feast day is to recognize the
tremendous love God must have had for Joseph in making him responsible for
the care of His "Beloved Son" (Mk 1:11.). Joseph is the Patron of
the universal Church, which is the "Mystical Body" of His Son. We
can be confident that we too can have that same trust in Joseph and know
that he will intercede for us that we may come to the holiness of eternal
life.



Whoever will come after Me, let him deny himself.  (Matthew 16:24)

"The principal thing upon which we have to turn our attention, that we
may mortify it and eradicate it from our hearts, is the predominant
passion-that is, the affection, inclination, vice, habit, which reigns most
in us, which makes us its captive, which brings us into greatest danger,
and most frequently causes us to fall into grave transgressions. When the
king is taken, the battle is won. And until we do this, we shall make no
great advance in perfection"
 -St. Alphonsus Rodriguez

An event of the kind upon which Rodriguez founds his comparison occurred,
as Holy Scripture narrates, in the war between the King of Syria and the
King of Israel. The latter commanded all his captains to attack no one in
the hostile army except the king himself, wisely judging that if the king
should be conquered, the whole army would be overcome. This happened in
fact, for when King Achab was struck down, the battle ended.

(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints".  March - Mortification)

Bible Quote
40. And when the sun was down, all they that had any sick with divers
diseases, brought them to him. But he laying his hands on every one of
them, healed them. 41. And devils went out from many, crying out and
saying: Thou art the Son of God. And rebuking them he suffered them not to
speak, for they knew that he was Christ.
 (Luke 4:40-41)



The first sorrowful mystery prayer of the Eucharistic Rosary, to be offered
before the Blessed Sacrament:

The Agony in the Garden, offered for fervor in prayer and sorrow for sin:

Divine Saviour, under the weight of sorrow and sadness caused by our sins,
Thou fallest, bathed in a sweat of blood, and Thou endurest a mortal agony.
 In the Blessed Sacrament, also, Thou art still more humbled and
annihilated on account of our sins.

We adore Thee and we compassionate Thy agony of suffering in the Garden of
Gethsemane, as well as Thy agony of humiliation in the Eucharist, and we
beg of Thee, through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, a heartfelt
sorrow for our sins.

Imprimatur:  + John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York, Sept 19, 1908.



In honor of Saint Joseph, Protector of the Church, a prayer:

O glorious Saint Joseph, chosen by God to be the foster- father of Jesus,
the chaste spouse of Mary ever Virgin, the head of the Holy Family and then
appointed by the Vicar of Christ to be the heavenly patron and defender of
the Church founded by Jesus, most confidently do I implore at this moment
thy powerful aid for all the Church militant on earth. Do thou shield with
thy truly paternal love especially the Supreme Pontiff and all the Bishops
and priests who are in union with the Holy See of Peter.  Be the defender
of all who labor for souls amidst the trials and tribulations of this life,
and cause all the peoples of the earth to submit themselves in a docile
spirit to that Church which is the ark of salvation for all men.

Be pleased also, dear Saint Joseph, to accept this dedication of myself
which I now make unto thee.  I dedicate myself which I now make unto thee,
that thou mayest ever be my father, my patron and my guide in the way of
salvation. Obtain for me great purity of heart and a fervent devotion to
the interior life.  Grant that, following thine example, I may direct all
my actions to the greater glory of God, in union with the Sacred Heart of
Jesus and the immaculate heart of Mary and in union with thee.  Finally
pray for me that I may be a partaker in the peace and joy which were thine
at the hour of thy holy death.  Amen.

Imprimatur:  Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbp of New York, May 30, 1951.

--- BBBS/LiI v4.01 Flag