Festival of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Guardian of our Lord
Posted on March 19, 2024 by under
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:3-11 (NKJV)
1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 6 Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.
8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, 10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, 11 you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.
Devotion
The called and ordained minister is a sort of waiter for God. His job is to deliver God’s Bread of Life to the congregation. At a restaurant, between the kitchen and the table, you don’t want your waiter to add something or take something away from your plate. His job is to deliver the food just as the cook prepared it. Similarly, the minister is neither to add or take away from the Word of God.
St. Paul makes it clear that all consolation and comfort comes from the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. Our God comforted St. Paul and Timothy during a particularly difficult time, in which they “despaired even of life.” Having crumbled under the weight of that “sentence of death,” they learned to trust not in themselves, but in God who delivered them. Having received and trusted in that great comfort from God, they now give to us the same comfort from God which they received. St. Paul understood that God’s purpose for that trial was so that they could comfort the Corinthians—neither adding to, nor taking away.
More than that, God “will still deliver us.” As Luther understood, God still delivers us “when He graciously takes us from this vale of tears to Himself in heaven.” We have the hope of deliverance and salvation. We are delivered from daily affliction when we will be given a final great deliverance at death.
Collect: O Lord, by the working of the Holy Spirit, Thou didst inspire in St. Joseph a quiet obedience to the Word: guide and direct us to emulate such virtue in our life and conversation as shall glorify Thee in faithfulness day and night, through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for Judica (Passion) Sunday
We beseech Thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon Thy people, that by Thy great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
