DAILY GOSPEL
«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68
Saint Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Solemnity
2nd book of Samuel 7:4-5.12-14.16.
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
"Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in?
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm.
It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever.
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. And if he does wrong, I will correct him with the rod of men and with human chastisements;
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'"
Psalms 89(88):2-3.4-5.27.29.
The promises of the LORD I will sing forever, proclaim your loyalty through all ages.
For you said, "My love is established forever; my loyalty will stand as long as the heavens.
I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:
I will make your dynasty stand forever and establish your throne through all ages." Selah
He shall cry to me,'You are my father, my God, the Rock that brings me victory!'
Forever I will maintain my love for him; my covenant with him stands firm.
Letter to the Romans 4:13.16-18.22.
It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,
as it is written, "I have made you father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.
He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "Thus shall your descendants be."
That is why "it was credited to him as righteousness."
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 1:16.18-21.24.
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.
Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
"Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in?
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm.
It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever.
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. And if he does wrong, I will correct him with the rod of men and with human chastisements;
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'"
Psalms 89(88):2-3.4-5.27.29.
The promises of the LORD I will sing forever, proclaim your loyalty through all ages.
For you said, "My love is established forever; my loyalty will stand as long as the heavens.
I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:
I will make your dynasty stand forever and establish your throne through all ages." Selah
He shall cry to me,'You are my father, my God, the Rock that brings me victory!'
Forever I will maintain my love for him; my covenant with him stands firm.
Letter to the Romans 4:13.16-18.22.
It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,
as it is written, "I have made you father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.
He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "Thus shall your descendants be."
That is why "it was credited to him as righteousness."
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 1:16.18-21.24.
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.
Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
Mt 1,16-16#Mt 1,18-21#Mt 1,24-24
Saint Bernadine of Siena (1380-1444), Franciscan
Sermon on Saint Joseph ; OC 7, 16. 27-50
Saint Joseph, faithful guardian of the mysteries of our salvation
When the divine goodness chooses someone to receive a special grace, it gives him all the charisms he needs, which greatly increases his spiritual beauty. This is wholly confirmed in the case of Saint Joseph, legal father of our Lord Jesus Christ and rightful husband of she who is Queen of the world and Sovereign of angels. The eternal Father chose him to be provider and faithful guardian to his chiefest treasures, namely his Son and his bride – a function he faithfully fulfilled. That is why the Lord said: «Good and faithful servant, come, share your master's joy» (Mt 25,21).
If you compare Joseph with all the rest of Christ's Church, is he not the one who has been specially chosen, through whom Christ came into the world in regular and respectable fashion? So if the whole of holy Church is indebted to the Virgin Mary because it was she who enabled it to welcome Christ, after her it is to Saint Joseph that it owes a recognition and honor without compare.
Indeed, it is he who brings the Old Testament to an end; it is in him that the dignity of patriarchs and prophets receives its promised fruit. He alone possessed in reality what divine goodness had promised to them. Nor indeed should we doubt that the closeness and respect Christ showed to Joseph during his earthly life, as a son to his father, were ever denied in heaven, rather, he enriched and completed them. So, with reason, the Lord adds: «Enter into your master's joy».
Blessed Joseph, remember us; intercede with the help of your prayers to your adopted Son; and may you likewise make the blessed Virgin, your spouse, to be favourable towards us, for she is the mother of him who, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns world without end.
If you compare Joseph with all the rest of Christ's Church, is he not the one who has been specially chosen, through whom Christ came into the world in regular and respectable fashion? So if the whole of holy Church is indebted to the Virgin Mary because it was she who enabled it to welcome Christ, after her it is to Saint Joseph that it owes a recognition and honor without compare.
Indeed, it is he who brings the Old Testament to an end; it is in him that the dignity of patriarchs and prophets receives its promised fruit. He alone possessed in reality what divine goodness had promised to them. Nor indeed should we doubt that the closeness and respect Christ showed to Joseph during his earthly life, as a son to his father, were ever denied in heaven, rather, he enriched and completed them. So, with reason, the Lord adds: «Enter into your master's joy».
Blessed Joseph, remember us; intercede with the help of your prayers to your adopted Son; and may you likewise make the blessed Virgin, your spouse, to be favourable towards us, for she is the mother of him who, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns world without end.
Bl. Marcel Callo (1921-1945)
Blessed Marcel Callo
(1921-1945)
(1921-1945)
Marcel Callo was born on December 6, 1921, in Rennes, France, being one of nine children. He was a happy child, who was known to be a leader and a perfectionist. After completing his primary studies, he became an apprentice to a printer around age 13. He belonged to the JOC (Young Christian Worker).
On March 8, 1943, the war (World War II) had gripped their city of Rennes. That day his sister, Madeleine was killed by one of the bombs that leveled her building. When the Germans later occupied France, Marcel was ordered and deported to Zella-Mehlis, Germany to the S.T.O. (Service of Obligatory Work). If he did not comply, his family would be arrested, so he went.
Once there, he worked in a factory that produced bombs. After three months or so of missing his family and missing Mass (there was no Catholic church in that town), Marcel became seriously depressed. He later found a room where Mass was offered on Sunday. This helped change his disposition. He reported that, "Finally Christ reacted. He made me to understand that the depression was not good. I had to keep busy with my friends and then joy and relief would come back to me."
With his morale and hope restored, he cared for his deported friends. He organized a group of Christian workers who did activities together like play sports or cards. He also organized a theatrical group. He galvanized his friends despite him suffering from painful boils, headaches and infected teeth. For his French friends, he arranged a Mass to be celebrated in their native tongue. Eventually, his religious activities attracted unwanted attention from the German officials. The Germans arrested Marcel on April 19, 1944.
The Germans interrogated Marcel. He admitted his Catholic activities and was imprisoned in Gotha. He secretly received the Eucharist while in prison and continued to pray and help his companions. He was considered dangerous to the Germans and was moved to a different prison at Mathausen. He suffered from various ailments such as bronchitis, malnutrition, dysentery, fever, swelling, and generalized weakness. He never complained. Despite his suffering, he encouraged his companions by saying, "It is in prayer that we find our strength."
He died on the feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 1945. Pope John Paul II beatified Marcel Callo on October 4, 1987.
