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| "The Vision of Saint Joseph" -- by James Tissot |
FIRST
READING: Jeremiah
23: 5 - 8
1
Give the king thy justice, O God, and thy righteousness to the royal
son!
2
May he judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with
justice!
12
For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no
helper.
13
He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the
needy.
18
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous
things.
19
Blessed be his glorious name for ever; may his glory fill the whole
earth! Amen and Amen!
PSALM:
Psalms 72:
1 - 2, 12 - 13, 18 - 19
12
What shall I render to the LORD for all his bounty to me?
13
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD,
15
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
16
O LORD, I am thy servant, the son of thy handmaid. Thou hast loosed
my bonds.
17
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the
name of the LORD.
18
I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
19
Blessed be his glorious name for ever; may his glory fill the whole
earth! Amen and Amen!
GOSPEL:
Matthew 1:
18 - 25
18
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother
Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was
found to be with child of the Holy Spirit;
19
and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to
shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
20
But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to
him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to
take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the
Holy Spirit;
21
she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will
save his people from their sins."
22
All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the
prophet:
23
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name
shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us).
24
When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord
commanded him; he took his wife,
25
but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name
Jesus.
