Feast of Saint Joseph

A reading from the Second Book of Samuel (2 Sam 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16)

The word of the LORD came to Nathan: “Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the

LORD: ‘When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up

your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his

kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will make his royal throne firm for

ever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Your house and your kingdom

shall endure before me for ever; your throne shall stand firm forever.’”

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans (Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22)

Brothers and sisters: The promise that he would inherit the world was not to Abraham or

to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For this reason

it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all

his descendants—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the

Saint Joseph’s Day

faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. As it is written, “I have made you the father

of many nations.” He believed in the God who gives life to the dead and calls into

existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope that he should

become the father of many nations, according to what was said, “So numerous shall your

descendants be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which

was already dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the

barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of

God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God

was able to do what he had promised.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a)

Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is

called the Messiah. Now this is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: When his

mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to

be with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man

and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just

when he had resolved to do this, an 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, for the child

conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus,

for he will save his people from their sins.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of

the Lord commanded him.

Alternate Gospel (optional)

From the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 2:41-51a)

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. And when he

was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had

completed its days, as they returned, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his

parents did not know it. Thinking he was in their company, they journeyed on for a day

and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they

returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple,

sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who

heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him,

they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so?

Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them,

“Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

But they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. He went down with them

and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them.