ST. JOSEPH (MARCH 19TH)

 

St. Joseph and the Infant Christ

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West) 

Today, the Western Orthodox Church celebrates the life and legacy of St. Joseph, the holy and chaste spouse of the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, the Mother of Our God.

Matthew 1: 18-25 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And... she... brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.

Tradition says that St. Joseph was a 90-year-old widower, a father of four sons and two daughters, who took the Holy Virgin to protect her, after she was no longer able to stay in the Temple as a child consecrated to God. Moved by a divine vision and certain of the messianic identity of the child that was to be born, he became the guardian of the Christ, and raised him as his own child, teaching him carpentry and the Torah, and raising him as a princely descendants of King David, to be the rightful ruler of Israel. According to the same tradition, St. Joseph died at the age of 111, full of righteousness, good works, and the glory of his earthly fathering of the Lord. He is now remembered as one of the Great Saints of the Church, and is held up as a model of ideal fatherhood, humility, service and workmanship. May Christ hear the prayers of St. Joseph for us before His kingly throne, a davidic throne that he inherited in part through his adopted father, St. Joseph! 

COLLECT 

ALMIGHTY GOD, who from the family of Thy servant David raised up Saint Joseph to be the guardian of thine incarnate Son and the chaste spouse of his ever virgin mother: Give us grace so as to imitate his uprightness of life and his obedience to Thy commandments. Grant, we pray Thee, Almighty God, that by Saint Joseph's intercession, Thy Church may constantly watch over the unfolding of the mysteries of human salvation, whose beginnings Thou entrusted to his faithful care; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who livest and reignest with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.