5th Sunday
His sorrow when he had to flee to Egypt; His joy in being always with Jesus and Mary. INTRODUCTORY PRAYER O most watchful guardian of the Son of God, glorious Saint Joseph, great was your toil in supporting and waiting upon the Son of God, especially during the flight into Egypt! Yet, how you rejoiced to have God himself always near you. By this sorrow and this joy, obtain for us the grace that would keep us safe from the devil, especially the help we need to flee from dangerous situations. May we serve Jesus and Mary, and for them alone may we live and happily die. GOSPEL READING | MATTHEW 2:13 – 1 5 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt have I called my son.” REFLECTION “Joseph’s faith does not falter, he obeys quickly and to the letter. To understand this lesson better, we should remember that Joseph’s faith is active, that his docility is not passive submission to the course of events. For the Christian’s faith has nothing whatever to do with conformity, inertia or lack of initiative. “Joseph entrusted himself unreservedly to the care of God, but he always reflected on events and so was able to reach that level of understanding of the works of God which is true wisdom. In this way he learned little by little that supernatural plans have a logic which at times upsets human plans.” (Christ is Passing By, no. 42).
Litany of St Joseph
Lord, have mercy… Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy… Christ, have mercy.
Holy Trinity, one God… Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary… Pray for us.
St. Joseph…
Noble son of the House of David…
Light of patriarchs…
Husband of the Mother of God…
Guardian of the Virgin…
Foster father of the Son of God…
Faithful guardian of Christ…
Head of the holy family…
Joseph, chaste and just…
Joseph, prudent and brave…
Joseph, obedient and loyal…
Pattern of patience…
Lover of poverty…
Model of workers…
Example to parents…
Guardian of virgins…
Pillar of family life…
Comfort of the troubled…
Hope of the sick…
Patron of the dying…
Terror of evil spirits…
Protector of the Church…
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world… Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world… Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world… Have mercy on us.
God made him master of his household… And put him in charge of all that he owned.