FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER

Readings: Colossians 3:14-15, 17, 23; Matthew 13:54-58

We honor St. Joseph today. We do so in reference to the work he did. This is called the feast of St. Joseph the Worker.

You know what work Joseph did. Even the people in our gospel knew. When they spoke of Jesus they called him “the carpenter’s son.” We believe Joseph taught Jesus how to do carpentry work too. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have something Jesus or Joseph made? But like with the work of most people, time has a way of losing all the material and physical fruits of our labor. It is the spiritual that has the real value and remains.

That is something we need to keep in mind. It is not the products we produce that are of greater importance, it is the doing of our work as well as we can that gives it a value that will outlast the world itself. Joseph was dedicated and committed to his work, not merely for praise and acclaim, or for money, but for love of his family and because he believed it was the will of God to do his work well.

Early in life Joseph discovered he had a talent for carpentry work. So he developed it and used his acquired expertise as best he could. That’s what counts most with anything we do. Our attitude and dedication, our intentions, our patience, our stick-to-itiveness can put a spiritual value into our work that will last when all the physical fruits of our labors are long gone and forgotten. The type of work we choose to do is not as important as to how we conduct ourselves while doing it.

“Whatever you do,” St. Paul tells us, “work at it with your whole being. Do it for the Lord rather than for men, since you know full well you will receive an inheritance from him as your reward.” We should never hesitate to pray to St. Joseph to help us with our attitude towards our work.