Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,

Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

To you God entrusted his only Son;

in you Mary placed her trust

with you Christ became man.

Blessed Joseph, to us too,

show yourself a father

and guide us in the path of life.

Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage,

and defend us from every evil. Amen.

 

(Prayer from the Apostolic Letter Patris Corde) 

 

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16

But that very night,

The Lord's word came to Nathan, "Go and tell my servant David,

this is what the Lord says: Are you able to build a house for me to live in?

When the time comes for you to rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your son after you, the one born of you;

and I will make his reign secure. He shall build a house for my name and I will firmly establish his kingship forever.

I will be a father to him and he shall be my son. If he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod, as men do.

Your house and your reign shall last forever before me, and your throne shall be forever firm."

 

Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 & 29

The son of David will live forever.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22

If God promised Abraham, or rather his descendants, that the world would belong to him,

this was not because of his obeying the law, but because he was just, and a friend of God, through faith.

For that reason, faith is the way, and all is given, by grace;

and the promises of Abraham are fulfilled for all his descendants,

not only for his children according to the law, but, also, for all the others, who have believed.

 

Abraham is the father of all of us, as it is written: I will make you the father of many nations.

He is our father, in the eyes of Him, who gives life to the dead,

and calls into existence what does not yet exist, for this is the God in whom he believed.

Abraham believed, and hoped against all expectation, thus,

becoming the father of many nations, as he had been told: See how many will be your descendants.

This was taken into account, for him to attain righteousness.

  

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a (or Luke 2:41-51a)

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and from her came Jesus who is called the Christ the Messiah.

This is how Jesus Christ was born: Mary, his mother, had been given to Joseph in marriage,

but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

 

Then Joseph, her husband, made plans to divorce her in all secrecy. He was an upright man,

and in no way did he want to disgrace her. While he was pondering over this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,

"Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She has conceived by the Holy Spirit, and now she will bear a son. You 

shall call him 'Jesus' for he will save his people from their sins." When Joseph awoke,

he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do, and he took his wife to his home. 

 

Gospel Reflection ：

To confront our uncertainties with courage,

In this passage from the Gospel of Matthew, we encounter the important theme

of courageous acceptance as Joseph faces a life-changing situation.

When he hears the surprising news of Mary's pregnancy, Joseph initially considers quietly stepping away.

However, after an angel tells him, "Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife," he reconsiders his decision.

This moment of divine guidance encourages him to embrace the unexpected.

 

Joseph's experience illustrates our shared struggle: coping with change.

How often do we face situations that disrupt our plans or leave us feeling uncertain?

Like Joseph, we may feel frightened or bewildered when we receive unexpected news,

whether it's losing a job, encountering health challenges, or experiencing shifts in a relationship.

The core message of this passage is Joseph's courageous choice to act with faith rather than fear.

 

His acceptance not only changes his life but also impacts history itself.

This Gospel inspires us to confront our uncertainties with courage,

recognizing that we can discover opportunities for growth and new beginnings amid the unexpected.

By choosing to trust and move forward, we can turn challenges into opportunities,

positively influencing our lives and the lives of those around us.