Patron of the Universal Church

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Thursday, 19 March 2026 : Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this day we celebrate the great Solemnity of St. Joseph, the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this great St. Joseph’s day, we celebrate this wonderful man of God who had so faithfully dedicated his whole life to God’s service, and who had shown us what it means for us to be disciples and followers of the Lord, by our faith and actions. As the Spouse of Mary, the Mother of God, St. Joseph was also the Foster-Father of the Lord, as although he was not the biological father of the Lord, but he was His legal father, through his marriage to Mary, our Lord’s Mother. And it is this courageous and righteous man of God whose memory we venerate and celebrate today on this great Solemnity.

St. Joseph dedicated his life to the Lord and to do His will. He has always lived virtuously and honourably, a model Christian in all things. Although he was just merely a humble carpenter of a small village at the periphery of the Jewish world at that time, St. Joseph was indeed a great man, one whom God had chosen to be the instrument through whom He would enter into the world and perform His works. St. Joseph was also the upright and courageous man who have always shown love for both God and for his fellow men, a truly great example and role model for everyone, even though he was a relative nobody in his world at that time, but his righteousness truly shone forth, and his identity as the Heir of David also made him the perfect guardian and foster-father for Our Lord Himself.

St. Joseph whose feast we celebrate today is the great Protector of the Church and all of us Christians just as he is the loyal, committed and faithful Protector of the Holy Family. And we remember all that he had done in caring for the Holy Family, that is first and foremost in how he laboured hard to protect the vulnerable Child Jesus from the hands of His enemies, all those who sought for His death. He protected Jesus and Mary from harm even before Jesus was born, caring for Mary and helping her to find a lodging as she and St. Joseph made their way down to Bethlehem for the census of the Emperor Augustus. It was certainly a difficult journey, but they all courageously and patiently bore through the journey.

And later on St. Joseph brought Mary and Jesus to Egypt fleeing from the hands of King Herod, who wanted the Child Jesus to be killed, as the former saw the Lord as a threat and rival to his power. St. Joseph followed the word and advice of the Angel of God who told him to bring his family out to Egypt. He cared for them there and brought Mary and Jesus back to Nazareth after the enemies of the Lord had passed on. He was truly a great father and a righteous man, dedicating himself and his life to the mission that has been entrusted to him. He might be just a mere lowly carpenter often looked down by everyone else, but his virtues and greatness far surpassed anything else, a great inspiration to each and every one of us.

Through St. Joseph, Our Lord Jesus was born legally as the Heir and Son of David, as according to the genealogy that we heard today from the Gospel of St. Matthew, Joseph was the rightful heir of David, born of his line and house, and therefore, just as the Lord promised to David that his rule, house and kingdom would be forever firm, these all were fulfilled in Christ. Through Jesus Christ, God has come into this world, to reign as our King, claiming the Kingship of His forefather David, and reestablish the true Kingdom of God in this world. But His Kingdom is not of this world and is not like of this world, and that was why, He was not born into great wealth and splendour, but into simplicity and humility.

But as I have mentioned just earlier, we celebrate the glorious memory of St. Joseph more than just because he was the foster-father of Our Lord and Saviour. It was because of his great virtues and righteousness that we rejoice to have such a great role model and inspiration in our own lives. St. Joseph is that great example whom we can follow in our own lives, as we look upon him as our guide in our own journey of faith through life towards God. We are constantly reminded that we too have to be righteous, good and committed in our lives, walking with God and helping to guide one another in faith towards Him.

That is why, in this season of Lent, all of us are called to look upon the good examples set by St. Joseph and we are called to emulate him in our own lives, reminding ourselves to be more righteous and just, more committed to follow the Lord by following the examples of St. Joseph, who laboured hard in life with honesty and justice, not minding his own personal desires, ambition, ego or greed. He placed God above all else and the mission that He has entrusted to him, he has carried out with patience and virtue all the same. That is what each and every one of us as Christians ought to be doing as well, in being devoted to the Lord and in following His path courageously and faithfully at all times.

All of us must remember that as Christians we have to exhibit these virtues in life, in our every moments and actions, in whatever we say and do. Let us really make good use of the time and opportunity afforded to us this Lent for us to rediscover our faith in God, reconnect our lives to Him, reorientate our ways, thoughts and all the things we say and do, that all those may come harmoniously along with God and His path. Let us all do our very best and come ever closer to God and His salvation, that we may be filled with His grace and love, at all times. And through this faithful commitment to God, let us all be good and shining examples to one another like how St. Joseph had been good role model to us.

May God be with us all, and may He empower each and every one of us that we may always walk faithfully in His presence, and may He bless all of our actions and works, and may St. Joseph, the Protector of the Holy Family and the Protector of the Church, intercede for us always, and help us through his inspirations and his prayers, that we may always walk courageously as he himself had done, in the path of his foster Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. St. Joseph, holy saint of God, pray for us! Amen.

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Thursday, 19 March 2026 : Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 1 : 16, 18-21, 24a

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and from her came Jesus Who is called the Christ – the Messiah.

This is how Jesus Christ was born : Mary His mother had been given to Joseph in marriage, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her husband, made plans to divorce her in all secrecy. He was an upright man, and in no way did he want to discredit her.

While he was pondering over this, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She has conceived by the Holy Spirit, and now she will bear a Son. You shall call Him ‘Jesus’ for He will save His people from their sins.”

When Joseph woke up, he did what the Angel of the Lord had told him to do.

Alternative reading

Luke 2 : 41-51a

Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover, as was customary. And when Jesus was twelve years old, He went up with them, according to the custom of this feast. After the festival was over, they returned, but the Boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and His parents did not know it.

They thought He was in the company, and after walking the whole day they looked for Him among their relatives and friends. As they did not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem searching for Him, and on the third day they found Him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions. And all the people were amazed at His understanding and His answers.

His parents were very surprised when they saw Him, and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Your father and I were very worried while searching for You.” Then He said to them, “Why were you looking for Me? Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?” But they did not understand this answer.

Jesus went down with them, returning to Nazareth, and He continued to be subject to them.

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Thursday, 19 March 2026 : Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Romans 4 : 13, 16-18, 22

If God promised Abraham, or rather his descendants, that the world would belong to him, this was not because of his obeying the Law, but because he was just and a friend of God through faith.

For that reason, faith is the way and all is given by grace; and the promises of Abraham are fulfilled for all his descendants, not only for his children according to the Law, but also for all the others who have believed.

Abraham is the father of all of us, as it is written : I will make you father of many nations. He is our father in the eyes of Him Who gives life to the dead, and calls into existence what does not yet exist, for this is the God in Whom he believed. Abraham believed and hoped against all expectation, thus becoming father of many nations, as he had been told : See how many will be your descendants.

This was taken into account for him to attain righteousness.

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Thursday, 19 March 2026 : Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 88 : 2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29

I will sing forever, o Lord, of Your love and proclaim Your faithfulness from age to age. I will declare how steadfast is Your love, how firm Your faithfulness.

You said, “I have made a covenant with David, My chosen one; I have made a pledge to My servant. I establish his descendants forever; I build his throne for all generations.”

“He will call on Me, ‘You are my Father, my God, my Rock, my Saviour.’  I will keep My covenant firm forever, and My love for him will endure.

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Thursday, 19 March 2026 : Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

2 Samuel 7 : 4-5a, 12-14a, 16

But that very night, YHVH’s word came to Nathan, “Go and tell My servant David, this is what YHVH says : When the time comes for you to rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your son after you, the one born of you and I will make his reign secure. He shall build a house for My Name and I will firmly establish his kingship forever. I will be a Father to him and he shall be My son.”

“Your house and your reign shall last forever before Me, and your throne shall be forever firm.”

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Tuesday, 19 March 2024 : Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we mark and celebrate the great occasion of the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Joseph according to the Scriptures and Church traditions was a carpenter living in the town of Nazareth of Galilee, who was the husband of Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, Son of God and our Saviour. Therefore, as the Spouse of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, St. Joseph is the foster-father of Our Lord and Saviour Himself, and also an integral member and part of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. St. Joseph is also the Heir of David, being descended after many generations from King David through the kings of Judah and their descendants, as the one through whom God’s promises to David would be fulfilled.

And as St. Joseph was legally married to Mary, the Mother of Our Lord and Saviour, thus this made the Lord to be the legal heir of St. Joseph and hence, making Him the Heir and Son of David as in accordance to the Law of Moses. St. Joseph was also remembered as a great and righteous man, who was upright and just in all of his works and deeds, in all of his ways and obedience to God. He is therefore a great role model for us all and not merely meriting that great honour which had been given to him solely from being the foster-father of Our Lord. St. Joseph’s virtues and righteousness made him to be a truly ideal person to be the protector and guardian, and as an essential member of the Holy Family, as he carried out his responsibilities with great faith and commitment.

St. Joseph was upright, just and caring for others because as mentioned in the Scriptures, he could have divorced Mary or cancelled his engagement to her upon knowing that she had become pregnant. Before he knew more about it, he decided to do things quietly because if everyone else had known that Mary became pregnant outside of marriage and that the Child did not belong to St. Joseph, the young Mary could have been condemned and stoned to death according to the Law of Moses, as she would have then been accused of adultery and sin. But St. Joseph cared about Mary and wanted her to avoid that predicament. That was when the Lord told St. Joseph of everything that He had planned, and the true identity of the Child that Mary bore within her.

St. Joseph willing took up and shouldered the responsibilities that had been entrusted to him by the Lord. He took Mary as his own wife and accepted the Lord Jesus, the Child that Mary bore within her as his own even though He was not his biological Son. He devoted himself to a life of service to God, being the protector and head of the Holy Family henceforth, facing many struggles and difficulties, and helping both Mary and her Child to endure and persevere through all those issues all throughout their journeys. I am sure we are all well aware of how St. Joseph helped Mary on their way from Nazareth to Bethlehem when they were all expected to be part of the Roman Emperor’s great Census, while Mary was heavily pregnant and was almost due to give birth.

We all know how St. Joseph helped Mary to find a lodging in Bethlehem, despite having difficulties to get one because all the inns and houses were full. He helped the Holy Family to face the struggles and difficulties thereafter, evading Herod the Great’s efforts to destroy the young Messiah, the Lord Jesus, when he heard of His coming through the Magi. St. Joseph patiently and obediently led the Holy Family to seek refuge in Egypt, staying there until Herod had died, and then returning back to Nazareth. The last time he was heard in the Scriptures was in our Gospel passage today, where we heard how St. Joseph led the twelve years old Lord Jesus and His mother Mary to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover, and it was there that Jesus purposefully stayed behind in His Father’s House.

We heard how Mary and St. Joseph went to look for the missing Jesus, and found Him at the Temple of Jerusalem, speaking with the priests and others assembled there at the Temple. Throughout the whole thing, St. Joseph was shown as being the quiet one, but the Gospels recorded how the Lord Jesus went back to Nazareth together with His parents, and subjected Himself to their authority. It was likely from St. Joseph that the Lord learnt many skills in this world, as well as other knowledge and also understanding of God’s Law and commandments. He was not mentioned anymore after that, and it was likely that he had passed away before the Lord began His ministry, and yet, St. Joseph had done so much for the Lord, for His mother Mary and had become great role model and example for all of us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today therefore on this great Feast and celebration of St. Joseph, head and protector of the Holy Family, Foster-father of Our Lord and Saviour, and the Spouse of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, let us all be inspired by all the good examples, righteousness and faith which St. Joseph has shown each and every one of us. St. Joseph has also been declared as the Patron and Protector of the Universal Church by Blessed Pope Pius IX over a century and half ago, and in that role, he continued to intercede on behalf of the Church, for all of us living in this world, as members of the Church, that his watching eyes and guidance continue to help us in living our lives and in doing what God had commanded us to do, just as St. Joseph himself had done earlier.

Let us all hence continue to live our lives faithfully as Christians, as God’s holy people, in all righteousness and justice, in following His Law and commandments, in being responsible towards our many commitments, responsibilities and missions in life, following the good and inspiring examples shown by St. Joseph himself. Great and holy Patron, St. Joseph, pray for all of us and pray for the Church of God, so that we will continue to be good role models and inspirations to everyone through our way of life, actions and works. May God be with us all and may He empower us to continue living our lives faithfully at all times. Amen.

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Tuesday, 19 March 2024 : Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 1 : 16, 18-21, 24a

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and from her came Jesus Who is called the Christ – the Messiah.

This is how Jesus Christ was born : Mary His mother had been given to Joseph in marriage, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her husband, made plans to divorce her in all secrecy. He was an upright man, and in no way did he want to discredit her.

While he was pondering over this, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She has conceived by the Holy Spirit, and now she will bear a Son. You shall call Him ‘Jesus’ for He will save His people from their sins.”

When Joseph woke up, he did what the Angel of the Lord had told him to do.

Alternative reading

Luke 2 : 41-51a

Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover, as was customary. And when Jesus was twelve years old, He went up with them, according to the custom of this feast. After the festival was over, they returned, but the Boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and His parents did not know it.

They thought He was in the company, and after walking the whole day they looked for Him among their relatives and friends. As they did not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem searching for Him, and on the third day they found Him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions. And all the people were amazed at His understanding and His answers.

His parents were very surprised when they saw Him, and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Your father and I were very worried while searching for You.” Then He said to them, “Why were you looking for Me? Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?” But they did not understand this answer.

Jesus went down with them, returning to Nazareth, and He continued to be subject to them.

by

Tuesday, 19 March 2024 : Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Romans 4 : 13, 16-18, 22

If God promised Abraham, or rather his descendants, that the world would belong to him, this was not because of his obeying the Law, but because he was just and a friend of God through faith.

For that reason, faith is the way and all is given by grace; and the promises of Abraham are fulfilled for all his descendants, not only for his children according to the Law, but also for all the others who have believed.

Abraham is the father of all of us, as it is written : I will make you father of many nations. He is our father in the eyes of Him Who gives life to the dead, and calls into existence what does not yet exist, for this is the God in Whom he believed. Abraham believed and hoped against all expectation, thus becoming father of many nations, as he had been told : See how many will be your descendants.

This was taken into account for him to attain righteousness.

by

Tuesday, 19 March 2024 : Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 88 : 2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29

I will sing forever, o Lord, of Your love and proclaim Your faithfulness from age to age. I will declare how steadfast is Your love, how firm Your faithfulness.

You said, “I have made a covenant with David, My chosen one; I have made a pledge to My servant. I establish his descendants forever; I build his throne for all generations.”

“He will call on Me, ‘You are my Father, my God, my Rock, my Saviour.’ I will keep My covenant firm forever, and My love for him will endure.

by

Tuesday, 19 March 2024 : Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

2 Samuel 7 : 4-5a, 12-14a, 16

But that very night, YHVH’s word came to Nathan, “Go and tell My servant David, this is what YHVH says : When the time comes for you to rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your son after you, the one born of you and I will make his reign secure. He shall build a house for My Name and I will firmly establish his kingship forever. I will be a Father to him and he shall be My son.”

“Your house and your reign shall last forever before Me, and your throne shall be forever firm.”