Dedisti Mihi

from the Office for Solemnity of Saint Joseph

(March 2026)

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 “The Solemnity of Saint Joseph, spouse of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, who, a just man, born of the stock of David, was foster father of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who chose to be called the son of Joseph and to be subject to him even as a son to a father. The Church venerates him with special honor as her patron, whom the Lord set over his own family.”
(Martyrology entry for March 19)

I n the responsory featured this month, St. Joseph, son of King David the Psalmist, takes up the words of Psalm 18 in his praise of the Father, reflecting on the immense and glorious mission entrusted to him in the plan of salvation:

"You have given me the protection of Your salvation." (Ps 18:3).

St. Joseph must have greatly pondered the gift and responsibility given him by the Father — to protect His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who as God and Man, while being protected by St. Joseph, was also the Protector of St. Joseph. In this chant, the childlike soul of St. Joseph calls out trustingly to the Heavenly Father:

"You are my protector. Your right hand has held me up" (Ps 18:36).

St. Joseph can have such confidence because, as St. Bernadine of Siena states in the Matins reading of this Solemnity, God never gives a mission without also providing the grace needed to fulfill it, and in His Divine Providence, God gave St. Joseph every grace necessary so that he can truly be called a fitting foster father of Our Incarnate Lord and an earthly image of His Heavenly One.

Throughout this responsory, it is as if we see St. Joseph's realization of his poverty, while he also voices his trust in his ardent cry to God. St. Joseph knows that all that he has and is comes from God, and that he is completely dependent on Him. He also knows, with deep faith, that God is his Savior and Protector... and a loving Father.

And like a loving parent who gently reassures his child, God the Father answers the confident cry:

"I am your protector, and your exceedingly great reward" (Gen 15:1).

During the events of Holy Week, Our Lord, Son of Joseph, will reach the culmination of His earthly mission and commend Himself to His Heavenly Father with the same trust and confidence that He must have seen in His earthly father. As we follow Him along His path to Calvary, we are given a model, guide and protector: for St. Joseph, protector of the Holy Family and of the Holy Church, teaches us the trust and confidence we can have in our Heavenly Father, Who may give us a difficult mission in this life, but will always give us the grace to fulfill it.