Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
FIRST READING:
2
Samuel 7:
4 - 5, 12 - 14, 16
4
But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan,
5
"Go and tell my servant David, `Thus says the LORD: Would you
build me a house to dwell in?
12
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I
will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from
your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13
He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne
of his kingdom for ever.
14
I will be his father, and he shall be my son. When he commits
iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, with the stripes of
the sons of men;
16
And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before
me; your throne shall be established for ever.'"
PSALM: Psalms 89: 2 - 5, 27, 29
2
For thy steadfast love was established for ever, thy faithfulness is
firm as the heavens.
3
Thou hast said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I
have sworn to David my servant:
4
`I will establish your descendants for ever, and build your throne
for all generations.'" [Selah]
5
Let the heavens praise thy wonders, O LORD, thy faithfulness in the
assembly of the holy ones!
27
And I will make him the first-born, the highest of the kings of the
earth.
29
I will establish his line for ever and his throne as the days of the
heavens.
SECOND READING: Romans 4: 13, 16 - 18, 22
13 The promise to Abraham and his
descendants, that they should inherit the world, did not come through
the law but through the righteousness of faith.
16 That is why it depends on faith, in
order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his
descendants -- not only to the adherents of the law but also to those
who share the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all,
17 as it is written, "I have made
you the father of many nations" -- in the presence of the God in
whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence
the things that do not exist.
18 In hope he believed against hope,
that he should become the father of many nations; as he had been
told, "So shall your descendants be."
22 That is why his faith was "reckoned
to him as righteousness."
GOSPEL: Matthew 1: 16, 18 - 21, 24 Or Luke 2: 41 - 51
16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the
husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
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."
24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did
as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife,
Or
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem
every year at the feast of the Passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old,
they went up according to custom;
43 and when the feast was ended, as
they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His
parents did not know it,
44 but supposing him to be in the
company they went a day's journey, and they sought him among their
kinsfolk and acquaintances;
45 and when they did not find him, they
returned to Jerusalem, seeking him.
46 After three days they found him in
the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking
them questions;
47 and all who heard him were amazed at
his understanding and his answers.
48 And when they saw him they were
astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you
treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you
anxiously."
49 And he said to them, "How is it
that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's
house?"
50 And they did not understand the
saying which he spoke to them.
51 And he went down with them and came
to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these
things in her heart.
