St Joseph

St Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, is commemorated on 19 March.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph’s family tree is trace back to Abraham (Mt 1. 1 – 16). This ancestry includes King David. When he found Mary to be pregnant he did as the angel told him in a dream and married Mary. (Mt 1. 18 – 25).

Joseph and Mary were required to register in their ancestral town, which was Bethlehem, since Joseph was descended from David. (Lk 2. 4) and this is where Jesus was born.

After the birth, Joseph was told, once again in a dream, to leave and flee to Egypt because Herod was trying to kill the child. (Mt 2. 13 – 15) When it was safe to return, Joseph brought the family back to Israel and set up home in Nazareth where Jesus was brought up. Joseph was a builder and carpenter so Jesus learned the trade.

Sir John Everett Millais, Bt – Christ in the House of His Parents (‘The Carpenter’s Shop’) – 1849–50

The last allusion to Joseph in the Gospels is when the parents took Jesus to Jerusalem when he was twelve years old. When Jesus went missing they were worried and on finding him Mary said: ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ (Lk 2. 48) Jesus responds, speak9ing of having to be in his Father’s house but he goes back with them to Nazareth.

When Joseph died is unknown but it is probably before the crucifixion because Mary has no one to rely on at that point and Jesus instructs John to look after her.

The circumstances of Joseph’s death are unknown, except that he was certainly dead before the Crucifixion (John 19:26–27).

Collect for St Joseph

God our Father,
who from the family of your servant David
raised up Joseph the carpenter
to be the guardian of your incarnate Son
and husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
give us grace to follow him
in faithful obedience to your commands;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen