Call To Prayer You spoke to Joseph in a dream, O Lord; be in my resting and in my rising.

Psalm

Antiphon:

You alone, God, make me live safe and sound.

Give me an answer, God, when I call to You.
You are my truth, You give me freedom when I am oppressed--
have mercy on me, hear my prayer.

Many are asking:
"Who makes us happy?"
Bless us with the light of Your eyes,
God, our loving God.

You have given me greater joy
than all those others with their riches.
In peace, I lie down and sleep at once.

--Psalm 4

The Word: Mark 8:27-30

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about:
His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph,
but before they came together,
she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.

Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man
and did not want to expose her to public disgrace,
he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this,
an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,

"Joseph son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,
because what is conceived in her
is from the Holy Spirit.
She will give birth to a son,
and you are to give him the name Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel"--which means,
"God with us."

When Joseph woke up,
he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took Mary home as his wife.

For Reflection

What is God's dream for me?

Prayer Loving God, the giver of dreams, I place myself in Your care. Let my heart be attentive to Your voice, even in the night.

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