Saint Joseph the Worker - Family Reflection Video

In one of her Faith Formation classes, a teacher asked her students to write an essay on this topic—Which relic of which saint would you like to possess and why? On reading one of the masterpieces later, she brightened up. The budding writer said: “I would like to have some drops of the sweat of Saint Joseph in a vial, because his sweat would symbolize honest, humble, honorable work. It was by sweat of his brow that he could feed the Son of God, His Mother, and himself."

St. Joseph the Worker—what a fitting name, indeed! Not ‘the Talker,' not ‘the Complainer,’ not ‘the Dissenter,’ but simply, 'the Worker.' Throughout the Gospels, Saint Joseph is mentioned but in spite of his pivotal role in Salvation, the Gospels do not record a single word spoken by him. 

The greatness of Saint Joseph is not in words but in active service. As the Lord would teach later, “Not anyone who says Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of God, but only those who do the will of the Father.” 

What kind of worker or carpenter was he? No mention of that in the Bible either. Jesus, however, conveys a great deal about Joseph. Jesus, whom Saint Joseph molded, gives us a glimpse of his character. Those in the Gospel say something about Jesus whom Saint Joseph formed while he was still a baby—Where did this man get such wisdom? Is he not the carpenter’s son? (Matt 13:54-58). 

Jesus used human work as the appropriate analogy for His preaching about the Kingdom since He appreciated human efforts in God's plan. He mentions shepherds, farmers, doctors, sowers, householders, servants, stewards, merchants, laborers, tax collectors, and many others. He compares the work of the apostolate to the manual labor of harvesters and fishermen. 

He called all his listeners, of whatever noble profession, to be workers of the Kingdom. Some left their fishing boats or tax charts behind to proclaim the Gospel. The majority lived the Gospel in their work, proclaiming the Gospel wherever they were. Today, Jesus does the same. His followers are called to live out their discipleship and apostolate, vocation and mission, in the family and the workplace. 

The desk, sewing machine, kitchen, chalkboard, operating room, workbench, workstation, behind the steering wheel or a boat, is all meant to be an altar in which God and the giver is honored. There, most men and women are called to sanctify themselves and others by demonstrating human work's original dignity and meaning.  

Our Church invites us to value labor and work as: 

• Firstly, Vocation: Through labor and work, we give meaning to our existence. Our purpose is not to waste time and occupy space. Our world needs our contributions; we have a unique role to play; 
• Secondly as Stewardship: Through labor and work, we show the highest accountability for all the talents and abilities that nature and education endowed on us; and
• Thirdly as Service: Through our labor and work, we employ our talents and abilities not only to make a living but to meet the needs of others. 

As work takes on this meaning, the perfection of human beings continues, the workplace is evangelized, and God's work advances. In every age, a diligent construction worker from Nazareth, together with his foster father, waves to us and says, “Come, follow me!” 

Let us ask Saint Joseph to intercede for us today with his foster Son so that from here, we can go out to do our work well today so that we may grow in holiness, help others grow in holiness, and do something beautiful for God and others.