St Joseph the Worker : Wednesday, 1st May 2024

St Joseph the Worker is an honour accorded to the husband of Mary and guardian of Jesus by Pius XII in 1955. As a worker, his work was his dignity. In fact, Pius XII explained that such a title was given “so that the dignity of human labor…might sink more deeply into souls.” Every worker is worthy. St Joseph remained faithful to his duty, to his work, he built a house, a lasting home for a human family. His work was like the branch that remained in the Lord (Jn 15:1-8).

Honouring the dignity of labour proclaims that God has given us a “brilliant and marvellous role model” and a “faithful advocate of our labours” in the person of St Joseph. While the nature and purpose of work remain as materialistic and disordered as ever, let us heed the voice of the Church and go to Joseph the Worker, who preserves his lowly carpentry work as a sense of worth like the salt of the earth (Mt 5:13).

As labourers in the Lord’s vineyard, whether religious or secular, however lowly our work may be, we participate in God’s enterprise of uplifting those who labour even in the lowest ranks. God is at work, let us never underestimate that grace at work in us.

Lord, may the work of St Joseph inspire us to appreciate the work of our hands.