2nd Sunday

SECOND SUNDAY His sorrow when he saw Jesus born in poverty; His joy when the angels announced Jesus’ birth. INTRODUCTORY PRAYER O most blessed patriarch, glorious Saint Joseph, who was chosen to be the foster father of the Word made flesh, your sorrow at seeing the child Jesus born in such poverty was suddenly changed into heavenly exultation when you heard the angelic hymn and beheld the glories of that resplendent night. By this sorrow and this joy, we implore you to obtain for us the grace to pass over from life’s pathway to hear angelic songs of praise and to rejoice in the shining splendor of celestial glory. GOSPEL READING | LUKE 2:1 – 2 0 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. REFLECTION “The name Joseph, in Hebrew, means ‘God will add.’ God adds unsuspected dimensions to the holy lives of those who do his will. He adds the one important dimension which gives meaning to everything, the divine dimension. To the humble and holy life of Joseph he added – if I may put it this way – the lives of the Virgin Mary and of Jesus, our Lord. God does not allow himself to be outdone in generosity. Joseph could make his own the words of Mary, his wife: ‘he has looked graciously upon the lowliness of his handmaid… because he who is mighty, he whose name is holy, has wrought for me his wonders’” (Christ is Passing By, no. 40; quoting Mt 1:19). Conclude by praying the Litany of St. Joseph found on page four