March 20 - St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin, Confessor

Introit: Psalms xci. 13-14

    The just shall flourish like the palm-tree; he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus: planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Ps. It is good to give praise to the Lord, and to sing to Thy name, O Most High. ℣. Glory be to the Father.

Collect

    We beseech Thee, O Lord, that we may be helped by the merits of the Spouse of Thy most holy Mother, so that what we cannot obtain of ourselves, may be given to us through his intercession. Who livest.

Commemoration of the Feria:

Collect

    Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, as year by year we keep this holy fast with devotion, we may please Thee both in body and soul. Through our Lord.

Epistle: Ecclesiasticus xlv. 1-6

    Lesson from the Book of Ecclesiasticus. Beloved of God and men, whose memory is in benediction. He made him like the saints in glory, and magnified him in the fear of his enemies, and with his words he made prodigies to cease. He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments in the sight of his people, and showed him His glory. He sanctified him in his faith and meekness, and chose him out of all flesh. For he heard him and his voice, and brought him in a cloud. And He gave him commandments before His face, and a law of life and instruction.

Gradual: Psalms xx. 4-5

    Lord, Thou hast prevented him with blessings of sweetness: Thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones. ℣. He asked life of Thee, and Thou hast given him length of days for ever and ever.

Tract: Psalms cxi. 1-3

    Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments. ℣. His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the righteous shall be blessed. ℣. Glory and wealth shall be in his house: and his justice remaineth for ever and ever.

Gospel: Matthew i. 18-21

    + The continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. When Mary, the mother of Jesus, was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost. Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately. But while he thought on these things, behold the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.

Offertory: Psalms lxxxviii. 25

    My truth and My mercy are with him: and in My name his horn shall be exalted.

Secret

    We render Thee, O Lord, the debt of our service, humbly entreating that Thou wouldst preserve Thy gifts within us through the intercession of blessed Joseph, the Spouse of the Mother of Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord; on whose holy festival we offer to Thee the sacrifice of praise. Through the same our Lord.

Commemoration of the Feria:

Secret

    May the sacrifice we offer to Thee, O Lord, ever refresh and defend us. Through our Lord.

Communion: Matthew i. 20

    Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is born in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Postcommunion

    Come to our assistance, we beseech Thee, O merciful God; and through the intercession of blessed Joseph Thy confessor, graciously preserve Thy gifts about us. Through our Lord.

Commemoration of the Feria:

Postcommunion

    Having received Thy saving sacraments, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that they may help us to the advancement of our eternal redemption. Through our Lord.

Last Gospel of the Feria:

Gospel: John ii. 13-25

    + The continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. John. At that time the Pasch of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem: and He found in the temple them that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting. And when He had made as it were a scourge of little cords, He drove them all out of the temple, the sheep also and the oxen, and the money of the changers He poured out, and the tables He overthrew. And to them that sold doves He said: Take these things hence, and make not the house of My Father a house of traffic. And His disciples remembered that it was written: The zeal of Thy house hath eaten me up. The Jews therefore answered and said to Him: What sign dost Thou show unto us, seeing Thou dost these things ? Jesus answered and said to them: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews then said: Six and forty years was this temple in build ing, and wilt Thou raise it up in three days? But He spoke of the temple of His Body. When therefore He was risen again from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they believed the scripture, and the word that Jesus had said. Now when He was at Jerusalem at the Pasch upon the festival days, many believed in His name, seeing His signs which He did. But Jesus did not trust Himself unto them, for that He knew all men, and because He needed not that any should give testimony of man: for He knew what was in man.


+ Taken from St. Andrew Daily Missal, by Dom Gaspar Lefebvre, O.S.B., Imprimi Potest 11-18-1945 P. Joannes Delacroix, O.S.B., Imprimatur 11-22-1945 Joseph Van Der Meersch