St Joseph The beloved foster father of Jesus

St. Joseph The beloved foster father of Jesus Christ our savior.

Important events: • While after Mary was visited by Gabrielle the angel, St. Joseph was visited by the same angel in a dream. The angel told him not to be afraid of marring Mary. The angel also told him about how Jesus was the son of God and was to be conceived through the Holy Spirit.

Importance of Joseph: • Josephs duties were very important. • He was to care for Jesus as they were connected by blood and to raise him through his childhood years.

Patron Saint of: • Joseph is the patron of the dying because, assuming he died before Jesus' public life, he died with Jesus and Mary close to him, the way we all would like to leave this earth. • Joseph is also patron of the universal Church, fathers, carpenters, and social justice. • We celebrate two feast days for Joseph: March 19 for Joseph the Husband of Mary and May 1 for St. Joseph the worker.

Feast Days: • We celebrate two feast days for Joseph: March 19 for Joseph the Husband of Mary and May 1 for St. Joseph the worker.

Extra Info • • Everything we know (the church) about the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus comes from Scripture and that has seemed too little for those who made up stories about him. We know he was a carpenter, a working man, who made sacrifices to support Jesus and Mary. He wasn’t rich for when he went to the temple, he could only afford pigeons, while others sacrificed lambs. Although Joseph worked hard he came from royal lineage. Both he and Jesus were decedents from David. When Gabrielle visited Joseph in a dream, the angel used the title son of David. We know Joseph was a compassionate, caring man. When he found out that Marry was pregnant, he knew it wasn’t his but didn’t know she was caring the Son of God. He planned to divorce Mary according to the law but he was concerned for her well being. He knew that women accused to adultery could be stoned to death, so he decided to divorce her quietly and not have her receive the consequence of adultery

Extra Info • • We know Joseph was man of faith, obedient to whatever God asked of him without knowing the result. When the angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him that Mary was carrying the Son of God, Joseph immediately and without question, took Mary as his wife and lover. When the angel came again to tell him that his family was in danger, he immediately left everything he owned, all his family and friends, and fled to a strange country with his young wife and the baby. He waited in Egypt without question until the angel told him it was safe to go back. We know Joseph loved Jesus. His one concern was for the safety of this child entrusted to him as a responsibility. Not only did he leave his home to protect Jesus, but upon his return settled in the obscure town of Nazareth out of fear for his life. When Jesus stayed in the Temple we are told Joseph (along with Mary) searched with great anxiety for three days for him. They then found him teaching the priests there, about there faith. We also know that Joseph treated Jesus as his own son.

Extra Info • We know Joseph respected God. He followed God's commands in handling the situation with Mary and going to Jerusalem to have Jesus circumcised and Mary purified after Jesus' birth. We are told that he took his family to Jerusalem every year for Passover, something that could not have been easy for a man who worked so much. • Since Joseph does not appear in Jesus' public life, at his death, or resurrection, many believe that Joseph died before Jesus’ ministry. • There is much we wish we could know about Joseph, where and when he was born, how he spent his days, when and how he died. But Scripture has left us with the most important knowledge: that he was "a righteous man”.

dido plus 1 extra • In His Footsteps: Joseph was foster father to Jesus. We should all love one another as Joseph to Jesus, even if we aren’t related. • Prayer: Saint Joseph, patron of the universal Church, watch over the Church as carefully as you watched over Jesus, help protect it and guide it as you did with your adopted son. Amen

Pictures

Bibliography • Info http: //www. catholic. org/saints/saint. php? saint_id =4 • Pictures: http: //www. google. com/images? client=safari& rls=en&q=St. %20 Joseph&oe=UTF 8&um=1&ie=UTF 8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=105 5&bih=638 http: //www. google. com/imgres? imgurl=http: // www. stjosephsouthsan. org/resources/St. Jose ph 2. jpg&imgrefu

Bibliography (pics) • http: //www. google. com/imgres? imgurl=h ttp: //2. bp. blogspot. com/_SPQTWARc 5 js /S 9 w 9 b. XMy. WJI/AAAAA • http: //www. google. com/imgres? imgurl=h ttp: //www. jesuspassion. com/St. Joseph. jpg&imgrefurl=ht tp: //www. jesus

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