St. Joseph the Worker (2021) “Everyone Needs Pride in their Work”
St. Joseph the Worker (2021) “Everyone Needs Pride in their Work”
The Feast of St. Joseph the Worker is an important celebration for the church. The commemoration was a late addition to the church’s calendar. This year it is even more significant. Pope Francis has declared this year to be the year of St. Joseph. He is the patron of the universal church.
We note today that the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker began in 1955. This was the height of communisms influence on the world. The Roman Catholic Church has never been excited about the political theories of Marx. Many Catholics have been persecuted by totalitarian communist governments throughout the years.
May 1st is a very important day for communists throughout the world. Parades are held and there are other activities that promote communist ideology. Communist parties in many countries claim to exist to promote the rights of workers.
The church sought to supplant the influence of communism with the influence of Christianity. For this reason, the Roman Church placed the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on this particular day. Both Jesus and Joseph are said to be Tektons. The meaning of this word has been rendered as woodworker, worker with wood, stone and metal, or craftsman.
The image of Joseph being an independent businessman laboring in his carpentry shop may or may not be accurate. He might have been like carpenters today who go out to job sites to work with other carpenters to build large buildings. We are pretty sure he had a talent for construction, and he used that skill to support his family.
The church makes a statement on this feast which is that earning a living in the trades is a noble thing. In the last few decades there has been an emphasis on going to college, but we have come to realize that plumbers, masons and carpenters are very important. In fact, there is a big shortage of people with these skills.
As we watch the huge new bridge being built over the Mississippi River in Moline, we should be impressed by all the iron workers, carpenters and other skilled people creating this edifice. If Joseph were alive today, he would probably be down at the river using his skills to create something that will benefit us all. We remember that work can be a spiritual experience and that all workers, in justice, should have a living wage and enjoy respect for their skills.
Reflection Questions:
- If I picture St. Joseph as a day laborer does that affect my opinion of him? The church tries to defend the rights of the working person, was I aware of that?
- Do I look on people working in the trades as important in our society? Is working as carpenter or plumber or stone mason like being an artist?
Dear Parishioners,
May is always a beautiful Month, but it is also a stressful month. We have First Communions, graduations, weddings, and a host of other activities. During the month we will probably be trying to plan vacations. The COVID Pandemic has kept us home so we might feel pressured to make up for what we missed last summer.
We might need strength to engage in all these activities. We might also need patience as we deal with each other. Perhaps we can remember this is Mary’s month. We might call out to her asking for her assistance so that we can be charitable in all our activities.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints watch over you.
Fr. Mark