SAINT OF THE DAY -- May 1 - Saint Joseph the Worker
May 1
St. Joseph the Worker(d. 526)
Patron Saint of the Universal Church, Fathers, Carpenters and Social Justice
"Through my prayers, help me to reach purity. Through my prayers, help me to be example of purity. Through my
prayers, help me to teach others purity. Through my prayers, let all things I am become pure."
Now, on a certain day, the king of Jerusalem sent for him, and said: I wish thee, Joseph, to make for me a throne to fit that place in which I usually sit. Joseph obeyed, and began the work immediately, and remained in the palace two years, until he finished the work of that throne. And when he had it carried to its place, he perceived that each side wanted two spans of the prescribed measure. And the king, seeing this, was angry with Joseph; and Joseph, being in great fear of the king, spent the night without supper, nor did he taste anything at all. Then, being asked by the Lord Jesus why he was afraid, Joseph said: Because I have spoiled all the work that I have been two years at. And the Lord Jesus said to him: Fear not, and do not lose heart; but do thou take hold of one side of the throne; I shall take the other; and we shall put that to rights. And Joseph, having done as the Lord Jesus had said and each having drawn by his own side, the throne was put to rights, and brought to the exact measure of the place. And those that stood by and saw this miracle were struck with astonishment, and praised God. And the woods used in that throne were of those which are celebrated in the time of Solomon the son of David; that is, woods of many and various kinds.
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Apparently in response to the “May Day” celebrations for workers
sponsored by Communists, Pius XII instituted the feast of St. Joseph
the Worker in 1955. But the relationship between Joseph and the cause
of workers has a longer history.
In
a constantly necessary effort to keep Jesus from being removed from
ordinary human life, the Church has from the beginning proudly
emphasized that Jesus was a carpenter, obviously trained by Joseph in
both the satisfactions and the drudgery of that vocation. Humanity is
like God not only in thinking and loving, but also in creating. Whether
we make a table or a cathedral, we are called to bear fruit with our
hands and mind, ultimately for the building up of the Body of Christ.
Comment:
“The
Lord God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to
cultivate and care for it” (Genesis 2:15). The Father created all and
asked humanity to continue the work of creation. We find our dignity in
our work, in raising a family, in participating in the life of the
Father’s creation. Joseph the Worker was able to help participate in
the deepest mystery of creation. Pius XII emphasized this when he said,
“The spirit flows to you and to all men from the heart of the God-man,
Savior of the world, but certainly, no worker was ever more completely
and profoundly penetrated by it than the foster father of Jesus, who
lived with Him in closest intimacy and community of family life and
work. Thus, if you wish to be close to Christ, we again today repeat,
‘Go to Joseph’” (see Genesis 41:44).
Quote:In Brothers of Men,
René Voillaume of the Little Brothers of Jesus speaks about ordinary
work and holiness: “Now this holiness (of Jesus) became a reality in
the most ordinary circumstances of life, those of word, of the family
and the social life of a village, and this is an emphatic affirmation
of the fact that the most obscure and humdrum human activities are
entirely compatible with the perfection of the Son of God...in relation
to this mystery, involves the conviction that the evangelical
holiness proper to a child of God is possible in the ordinary
circumstances of someone who is poor and obliged to work for his living.”
Prayer:
GLORIOUS ST. JOSEPH,
Model of all who are devoted to toil,
Obtain for me the grace to toil
In the spirit of penance,
In order thereby to atone
For my many sins;
To toil conscientiously,
Putting devotion to duty
Before my own inclinations;
To labor with thankfulness and joy,
Deeming it an honor
To employ and to develop by my labor
The gifts I have received from Almighty God;
To work with order,
Peace, moderation and patience,
Without ever shrinking
From weariness and difficulties;
To work, above all,
With a pure intention
And with detachment from ourselves,
Having always before my eyes
The hour of death
And the accounting
Which I must then render
Of time ill-spent,
Of talents unemployed,
Of good undone
And of empty pride in success,
Which is so fatal to the work of God.
All for Jesus,
All through Mary,
All in imitation of you,
O Patriarch Joseph!
This shall be my motto
In life and in death. Amen.
Source: American Catholic Organization
Many great miracles have been associated with
the Rosary throughout history. The tremendous power of the Rosary can
overcome any problem, be it small or large, personal or worldwide.
Miracles continue to the present day.
The Rosary is a powerful prayer!
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Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries
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If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.
If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)
SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
Do you:
feel afraid of your partner much of the time?
avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?
feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?
believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?
wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?
feel emotionally numb or helpless?
Does your partner:
- humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
- treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
- ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
- blame you for his own abusive behavior?
- see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?
Does your partner:
have a bad and unpredictable temper?
hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?
threaten to take your children away or harm them?
threaten to commit suicide if you leave?
force you to have sex?
destroy your belongings?
Does your partner:
- act excessively jealous and possessive?
- control where you go or what you do?
- keep you from seeing your friends or family?
- limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
- constantly check up on you?