CATHOLIC WORKER

“Isn’t this the carpenter’s Son?” –Matthew 13:55

Mass Readings: May 1
First: Genesis 1:26–2:3; Resp: Psalm 90:2-4,12-14,16; Gospel: Matthew 13:54-58

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Pope Pius XII instituted today’s feast of St. Joseph the Worker to compete with the May Day celebrations in Communist countries. We have the obscure carpenter of Nazareth (see Mt 13:55) pitted against the Goliath of multi-national, atheistic Communism. For years, on this day, the Communists paraded their armies, missiles, tanks, and guns, while Joseph called us to do the manual tasks of everyday life with our whole being and “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col 3:17). Of course, the Communists and the capitalists largely ignored Joseph and his little workers, occasionally noticing them enough to laugh at them. Yet in the name of his foster-Son Jesus, Joseph and his workers have prevailed over Soviet Communism. They will eventually also bring Chinese Communism and unbridled capitalism to their knees, for every knee shall bend (Is 45:23).

You can be one of St. Joseph’s workers and look like a fool (see 1 Cor 4:10), or you can work for yourself rather than for the Lord and actually be a fool (see Lk 12:20). “You should not be working for perishable food but for food that remains unto life eternal, food which the Son of Man will give you” (Jn 6:27). “Be slaves of Christ the Lord” (Col 3:24).

PRAYER: Father, may my way of working be so radically different as to provoke questions from non-Christians.
PROMISE: “Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and Your dominion endures through all generations.” —Ps 145:13
PRAISE: St. Joseph “did as the angel of the Lord had directed him” (Mt 1:24).