SOLEMNITY OF SAINT JOSEPH
PATRON OF THE CONGREGATION
TRIDUUM IN HONOR OF SAINT JOSEPH
March 16 – March 18

First Day

Saint Joseph in the Mysteries of Jesus

Antiphon

Joseph, a just man, fulfilled the will of the Father who reigns in heaven.

Reading

Mt 1: 16, 18-21
“Joseph… did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him…” (Mt 1:24)

Reflection

Mary and Joseph are united by a bond of faith. In the eyes of the world they are united in matrimony but before God and the Church are wed in the Holy Spirit. Through this marriage in faith, Mary and Joseph have both been transformed into witnesses and dispensators of the mystery: God makes his dwelling place among mankind, renewing creation and above all, the human heart.

Joseph from Nazarethis a just man. He lived by faith alone and is holy because of his truly heroic faith. Sacred Scripture speaks very little about him; in fact, not one word spoken by the carpenter of Nazarethis recorded. Nevertheless, the silence of Joseph shows the depth and greatness of his faith. He is great in spirit and faith, not because of words but because he listened in silence to the voice of God from within. He persevered and accepted the truth held within the Word of the living God. For this reason Joseph of Nazareth is a truly admirable witness of the Divine Mystery (John Paul II, Homily in Livornio, 3-19-82).

Invocations

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul!
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony!
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.

Or:

Saint Joseph, grant us the spirit of prayer and silence.
Saint Joseph, help us to imitate and love the life at Nazareth.
Saint Joseph, help us to give ourselves to the Lord without reserve.

Prayer

Holy Father, in remembering the spouse of the Virgin Mary, the patriarch Saint Joseph, we beseech you, through his intercession, to aid and protect our Institute, assisting each of our communities to imitate the life of this simple family of Nazareth. Teach us how to dedicate ourselves to the loving service of the sick, for our own sanctification and for your glory. We ask you this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Second Day

Saint Joseph, Faithful Spouse and Father of His Family

Antiphon

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was betrothed to Joseph, and before living together, was found with child through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Reading

Lk 12: 35-44
This is the faithful and wise servant

Reflection

In the house of Nazareth, Jesus was subject to both Mary and Joseph, just as a child is subject to his parents. The Holy Family spent thirty years of this hidden life in Nazareth. The Son of God – the one sent by the Father – is hidden from the world, hidden from all men, even from those around him. Only Mary and Joseph were at the heart of this mystery living it day after day. The Son of the Eternal Father appears before men as their son, the son of a carpenter. During his thirty years of earthly life, he remained hidden, hidden behind the shadow of Joseph. At the same time, Mary and Joseph remained hidden in Christ, in his mystery and mission. Above all, Joseph, who left this world before Jesus revealed himself to Israel as Christ, remained hidden in the mystery of him whom the heavenly Father entrusted to his care while still in the Virgin’s womb (cf. John Paul II, General Audience, 3-19-80)

Invocations

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul!
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony!
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.

Or:

Saint Joseph, permit us to remain always faithful to the vocation received.
Saint Joseph, assist us in the care of the sick.
Saint Joseph, help us in our sorrows and difficulties.

Prayer

Lord, in calling to mindSaint Joseph, we remember his fidelity and generosity, his silence and simplicity. Grant that in our daily lives we may always remain faithful to our baptismal promises and religious profession, being simple, humble and poor so that we may be united to Christ in his mysteries and remain at the side of the sick always accomplishing your divine will. We ask you this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Third Day

Saint Joseph, Worker of Nazareth

Antiphon

Joseph accepts the work of a carpenter and teaches Jesus human labor.

Reading

Mt 13: 54-58
“Is he not the carpenter’s son?”

Reflection

Jesus advanced (in) wisdom and age and favor before God and man.” (Lk 2:52).Saint Josephguided and protected the Child Jesus during his human development. He introduced him into the knowledge of the religious and social customs of the Jewish people and to his trade as a carpenter. With so many years of practice, he had come to know the trade well and had become an expert. AsSaint Josephtaught Jesus the value of human labor, this divine child would work right at his side, listening and observing so he could learn to handle the tools of a carpenter with ease and follow the example of his dedicated foster father.

This is a great lesson: if the Son of God willed to learn a human trade from a man, it was in order to show us the beauty of work with its specific moral value and precise meaning for man and his self-development. Through his work, man not only transforms his nature, adapting to its own needs, but he develops himself as man, and in a deeper sense, he makes himself “more human”. Saint Josephknew his mission in life well. He transmitted to the Child Jesus, who grew at his side, the meaning of joyful and generous giving which he came to understand with each day’s toils. (John Paul II in his homily is Termoli, 3-19-83).

Invocations

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul!
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony!
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.

Or:

Saint Joseph, protect and defend our Institute.
Saint Joseph, help to increase the number of vocations to our Congregation.
Saint Joseph, console the sick and dying.

Prayer

O Lord, we ask you through the intercession ofSaint Joseph, for the grace to enter more deeply into the mystery ofNazareth. May the true family spirit of love, prayer and contemplation, of silence and work flourish in our Congregation and all of our communities. May the charism of our Mother Foundress be enkindled within our hearts. We ask you this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.