SOLEMNITY OF ST. JOSEPH, Patron of the Church
Introduction
Today’s gospel calls Joseph “a just man.” It is a title that the scriptures of the Old and the New Testaments give to people who try to live according to God’s plans. Indeed, he played an important role in God’s plan of salvation; God entrusted our Savior, Jesus, to his care. He experienced that his important role brought him many difficulties, but he stood the test and served God well, as a man of faith, generous, and indeed “just.”
Opening Prayer
God our Father,
you entrusted your Son Jesus
to the dedicated care of St. Joseph.
Give us the faith of this just man,
the patron of your Church,
that we may always listen to you,
and serve you in everything you ask of us
also when we do not understand
where you are leading us.
Make us live close to your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Intercessions
As we celebrate St. Joseph today, let us bring our intentions before the Lord.
– Lord, we pray you for your Church. Let it honor St Joseph, its patron, through a responsible and dedicated leadership, we pray:
– Lord, we pray you for those in public office, that they may lead their people with wisdom and justice, we pray:
– Lord, we pray you for heads of families, including single parents, that they may be dedicated to their children, we pray:
– Lord, we pray you for laborers who live by the work of their hands; may they do their work conscientiously and take pride in it, we pray:
– Lord, we pray you for ourselves. May we be people who know how to serve and to live in our presence, we pray:
Lord, may the help of St Joseph help us all to serve you with love. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord,
we bring before you bread and wine.
Let these gifts express
that we want to carry out
the task you entrust to us in life.
Dispose us to cooperate wholeheartedly with your plans
to bring your love and freedom
to this entire world,
that it may accept and serve
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
you have given us the food
that brings us the strength and the perseverance
to do the work you entrust to us.
Like St Joseph, may we serve you well
and put all our trust in you.
Make us responsible and just persons
who reflect your goodness and love.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
Blessing
May the Lord make us his good and faithful servants, trustworthy and just. Let his blessing come down on us and accompany us on the road of life: the blessing of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Reflection:
St. Joseph
Lk 2:41-51 [Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24]
How does the infancy narrative about the birth of Jesus and Saint Joseph's role in it relate to our lives today? This is something we should reflect on today as we celebrate St Joseph's Day.
It is the story of a man in crisis. Confronted by an unexpected turn of events, Joseph has tomake a choice. The rules of his faith community require a particular response from him. As a righteous man, he should denounce his betrothed and expose her to the harsh glare of publicscrutiny. It was a matter of life and death for Mary. Yet God invited Joseph into a life beyond those rules, freed up to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
The Church honours St. Joseph today because, when it mattered most, he saw beyond the rules and embraced compassion and the Spirit-filled life God was offering him. We are to do likewise. St. Joseph teaches us a very beautiful mark of the Christian vocation: To guard life, to protect the lives of others and the life of the Church.
“To love and guard the Church, and walk with the Church. The Church is all of us, everyone.It is our vocation to Guard one another on the road. Pope Francis, in his catechesis on St. Joseph, explains that "After all, God himself turned to Joseph and entrusted him with what was most precious to Him: Jesus and Mary. Let us entrust ourselves, our families and our Church to him as well. Let us decide today to “Go to Joseph!”
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19 March 2025
Solemnity of St Joseph
Luke 2:41-51a (Matthew 1:16, 18-21,24)
Guardian of life and witness of faith
As we celebrate St. Joseph’s Day, the Gospel invites us to reflect on the hidden yet vital role of St. Joseph in the infancy narrative of Jesus. His story is not just one from the past but a living example of how faith, compassion, and trust in God can transform our lives today.
The journey of St. Joseph is the journey of a man faced with crisis and uncertainty. When confronted with the unexpected news of Mary’s pregnancy, the rules of his faith community would have required him to expose her, placing her life at risk. Yet, Joseph’s righteousness was not rigid or harsh—he listened to the voice of God and allowed compassion to guide his decisions. St. Joseph teaches us that the Christian vocation is not merely about following rules but about protecting life and walking with others in love, especially in moments of their vulnerability.
In his catechesis on St. Joseph, Pope Francis reminded us that God entrusted what was most precious to Him—Jesus and Mary—into the hands of Joseph. Today, God invites each of us to be guardians of life in our families, communities, and the Church. We are called to care for one another, to accompany those in need, and to foster life wherever it is fragile.
Joseph’s life also reminds us of the importance of transmitting faith within our families. Simple daily acts—like praying together, attending Mass as a family, or blessing our children—plant the seeds of faith that will one day bear fruit in their lives.
As pilgrims of hope, let us look to Joseph as our model and protector. May we entrust ourselves, our families, and the Church to his loving care, asking him to guide us as we search for Jesus each day.
“Go to Joseph!” Let him teach us how to walk in faith, guard life, and live in the constant presence of God.
St. Joseph, pray for us!
Hong Kong
