March 19 HOMILY ON ST. JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (Solemnity)

St. Joseph, the man who was chosen by God to be the foster-father of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Spouse of Our Lady, in spite of his silence and hidden presence — nowhere in the Gospels we can find him talk— is THE GREATEST SAINT AFTER THE VIRGIN MARY.

• HIS GREATNESS PRECISELY RESIDES IN THE FACT THAT HE WAS THE PERSON WHO LOVED JESUS AND OUR LADY MOST THAN ANY OTHER CREATURE. He gave them his life, his love, his virile tenderness and care; he protected them with his strong arms, he gave them all of himself and all that he could without reserve.

A man with a firm faith in God coupled with a resilient personality, who did not complain and was not appalled nor distressed in the midst of trials and tribulations, St. Joseph knew how to face, carry and solve the burden of his vocation, of life’s difficulties and responsibilities with serenity, with complete faith and love, entrusting himself totally and unconditionally to God’s plans.

• He is the patron of fathers, spouses, priests and seminarians. But above all, St. Joseph is the “Master of Interior Life” who is willing to teach us by his silent example how to love God faithfully and tenderly, and Our Lady as well.

“Love Saint Joseph a lot. Love him with all your soul, because he, together with Jesus, is the person who has most loved our Blessed Lady and been closest to God. He is the person who has most loved God, after our Mother.

He deserves your affection, and it will do you good to get to know him, because he is the Master of the interior life, and has great power before the Lord and before the Mother of God (St. Josemaria, “Forge”, n. 554).”

 Pope Benedict XVI wrote: “If discouragement overwhelms you, think of the faith of Joseph; if anxiety has its grip on you, think of the hope of Joseph, that descendant of Abraham who hoped against hope; if exasperation or hatred seizes you, think of the love of Joseph, who was the first man to set eyes on the human face of God in the person of the Infant conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Let us praise and thank Christ for having drawn so close to us, and for giving us Joseph as an example and model of love for him.

Dear brothers and sisters, I want to say to you once more from the bottom of my heart: like Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary into your home, that is to say do not be afraid to love the Church. Mary, Mother of the Church, will teach you to follow your pastors, to love your bishops, your priests, your deacons and your catechists; to heed what they teach you and to pray for their intentions. Husbands, look upon the love of Joseph for Mary and Jesus; those preparing for marriage, treat your future spouse as Joseph did; those of you who have given yourselves to God in celibacy, reflect upon the teaching of the Church, our Mother: “Virginity or celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of God not only does not contradict the dignity of marriage but presupposes and confirms it. Marriage and virginity are two ways of expressing and living the one mystery of the Covenant of God with his people” (Redemptoris Custos, 20).

Once more, I wish to extend a particular word of encouragement to fathers so that they may take Saint Joseph as their model. He who kept watch over the Son of Man is able to teach them the deepest meaning of their own fatherhood. In the same way, each father receives his children from God, and they are created in God’s own image and likeness. Saint Joseph was the spouse of Mary. In the same way, each father sees himself entrusted with the mystery of womanhood through his own wife. Dear fathers, like Saint Joseph, respect and love your spouse; and by your love and your wise presence, lead your children to God where they must be (cf. Lk 2:49).”

Dear friends, “Joseph’s self-giving is an interweaving of faithful love, loving faith and confident hope. His feast is thus a good opportunity for us to renew our commitment to the Christian calling God has given each of us (St. Josemaria, “Christ is Passing By”, n. 43).”

To you, St. Joseph, we entrust our vocation and our interior life so that with your help, we may learn to love Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary the way you did while on earth.

We pray to God through your powerful intercession for all the fathers and spouses in the world so that they may imitate you in your faith, love and fidelity to God and your family.

We entrust to you as well all the families in the world so that they may imitate the virtues lived by the Holy Family of Nazareth and become its faithful image.

Through your intercession, may God shower more vocations to His Church, especially the vocation to priesthood, and may all priests and future priests strive be holy, faithful and apostolic ministers of Christ.

TODAY’S MASS PRAYER AND READINGS IN
https://catholicsstrivingforholiness.org/mar-19-st-joseph-spouse-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-solemnity-holy-day-of-obligation-mass-prayers-and-readings/

VIDEO COMMENTARY

TOPIC: CAN YOU RUN YOUR SPIRITUAL RACE WITH YOUR FAMILY LIKE ST. JOSEPH DID?

Today is the feast of St. Joseph, patron saint of the Universal Church, families, fathers, expectant mothers, travelers, immigrants, house sellers and buyers, craftsmen, engineers and working people, among others. His silence intrigues and inspires.

PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH (Pope Leo XIII)

To thee, O Blessed Joseph, we have recourse in our affliction, and having implored the help of thy most holy Spouse, we seek with confidence thy patronage also. By that affection wherewith thou wast united to the Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God; by the fatherly love with which thou didst embrace the Child Jesus, we humbly beseech thee to look down with gracious eye upon that inheritance which Jesus Christ purchased for us by His Blood, and to help us in our need by thy powerful intercession.

Defend, O thou most watchful guardian of the Holy Family, the chosen offspring of Jesus Christ. Keep from us, O most loving father, all blight of error and corruption. Aid us from on high, O thou our most valiant defender, in this conflict with the powers of darkness. And even as of old thou didst rescue the Child Jesus from the peril of His life, so now defend God’s Holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity. Shield us ever under thy patronage, so that imitating thy example and strengthened by thy help, we may live a holy life, die a happy death, and attain to everlasting bliss in heaven. Amen.

PHOTO SOURCE: www.jasonjenick.com

SUGGESTED HOMILY FOR PERSONAL MEDITATION: St. Josemaría, “In St. Joseph’s Workshop”, in http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/christ_is_passing_by-chapter-5.htm

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