May I, 2014.- ST. JOSEPH, THE. WORKER

Today, May 1, 2014, is the Feast of St. Joseph, the Worker. We all know St. Joseph as the foster-father of Jesus who was a "just" man. Being identified as such means that he was virtuous, full of conviction for what is right according to the teachings of God and always aware not to make compromises to escape ridicule or hate. The Bible does not record any word spoken by Joseph but illustrates many instances where he performed his responsibilities as father and protector of the Holy Family. There is the story of his trip with Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem and their search for shelter. There is the simple sentence on their flight to Egypt in the middle of the night. Like most readers, I accepted it as fact in the life of the Holy Family, just that. But during a visit to the Holy Land and Egypt in 2000, our tour bus followed a similar path which Joseph  and his family would have taken from Bethlehem to the house in Egypt where they stayed. I saw the seemingly endless rugged terrain of the wilderness, the desert, and the lurking dangers 
from men and natural elements, thieves and sandstorms, to which   the Holy Family was subjected. Without question, fatigue which our minds cannot  fathom must have overwhelmed them since they traveled for days on foot. Having experienced being in the "setting" which the simple sentence pointed out in the Bible, I realized and appreciated the impact of Joseph's responsibilities and the enormous heroic actions he accomplished without the trumpet fanfare of Superman orBatman.


St. Joseph was a carpenter by trade. Like all fathers, he must have   helped in many infant-caring needs as bottle-feeding and diaper- changing. He must have done spoon-feeding the infant and enjoyed many moments of play and fun, too. He must have taught Jesus 
some tricks of the trade as he was growing up helping around in his small shop. When the boy was old enough, Joseph must have brought Jesus to help in his job in Sephoris, a more progressive town close by where at that time there was a construction boom. The father-figure that Joseph exemplified for his foster son was a 
man of action who " prospered the work of his hands."        

A traditional prayer to St. Joseph which has been part of my daily prayers for so many years is the ff:  

Oh St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. Oh St. Joseph, do assist me by Thy powerful intercession, to obtain for me spiritual blessings from your Divine Son so that having 
engaged here below your heavenly power, we may offer our homage and thanksgiving to the most gentle of fathers.

Oh, St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you with Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath.

Oh, St. Joseph, patron for healing and of departing souls, pray for us.  Amen.  (3 times)