Thursday, April 30, 2015

St. Joseph the Worker, Friday, 01-05-15

Genesis 1:26 - 2:3 or Col 3:14-15, 17, 23-24 / Matthew 13:54-58

To say that we have "no work" may mean two things.

One may mean that we are jobless, that no one has hired us, that we are unemployed. So we want to work, but there is no one who wants to employ us and that also means we have no income.

The other meaning of "no work" is that there is no need for us to work, everything is provided for us, we have more than enough in terms of money, food and shelter and we don't have to be anxious or worried about the future.

The second meaning might sound quite appealing and maybe that is what we dream of every now and then, especially when the stress of work is overwhelming and we feel that we are losing ourselves to it.

But "no work" as in no need to work can seem to be attractive for only a while. After a time, if there is no need to work anymore, then life loses its challenge and we also lose motivation.

Because we are created in the image of God who created the mankind and the world and all creation and keeps recreating His creation.

Hence we are tasked to recreate the world so that the glory of God will be reflected in His creation.

So in whatever form our work may take - in our profession, in our service in Church and in society, in our works of mercy and charity - let us "put our heart into it as if it were for the Lord and not for men" (Col 3:23)

From the gospel passage, we know that Joseph worked as a carpenter because Jesus was known as the "carpenter's son".

Joseph worked at his profession and he also worked to bring up Jesus in faith and in stature.

May St. Joseph, the patron saint of workers, pray for us that by our work we will build up the kingdom of God and give glory to Him, and may God grant His blessings to the work of our hands