Rosary #43 - St. Joseph

Rosary for Saint Joseph
From the Antiphons for the Liturgy of the Hours

Introduction: Pontiff's Reflection on St. Joseph at Vesper Service
Jesus declared: "You have only one Father" (Mt 23:9). There is but one fatherhood, that of God the Father, the one Creator of the world, "of all that is seen and unseen". Yet man, created in the image of God, has been granted a share in this one paternity of God (cf. Eph 3:15).

Saint Joseph is a striking case of this, since he is a father, without fatherhood according to the flesh. He is not the biological father of Jesus, whose Father is God alone, and yet he lives his fatherhood fully and completely.

To be a father means above all to be at the service of life and growth. Saint Joseph, in this sense, gave proof of great devotion. For the sake of Christ he experienced persecution, exile and the poverty which this entails. He had to settle far from his native town. His only reward was to be with Christ. His readiness to do all these things illustrates the words of Saint Paul: "It is Christ the Lord whom you serve" (Col 3:24).

First Mystery
Jacob became the father of Joseph the husband of Mary. She gave birth to Jesus who is called Christ.

Second Mystery
The Angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph.

Third Mystery
Mary the mother of Jesus was betrothed to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the power of the Holy Spirit. The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and said: Joseph, son of David, to not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; she will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.

Fourth Mystery
When he awoke Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had directed him, and took Mary as his wife. Joseph left Nazareth and set out for the town of David called Bethlehem to register with Mary. The shepherds went in haste and found Joseph and Mary, and the infant lying in the manger.

Fifth Mystery
Joseph rose in the night and took the child and his mother into Egypt. There they stayed until the death of Herod.