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| St. Joseph, teaching his Son, Jesus, carpentry from the painting by Georges da La Tour, 1640s |
Just a 'shout-out' from me to St. Joseph, my favorite saint, on the feast of "St. Joseph the Worker". He is an inspiration and magnificent role model , not just for husbands and dads but for all men. I love this man.
Today the Catholic world honors all workers, those from yesterday, from today and those not yet here. Fittingly, the man who heads the list is none other than St. Joseph, foster dad to Jesus Christ and husband to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The day is called the "Feast of St. Joseph the Worker" and honors the quiet carpenter holding him up high as an example for all workers and their families.
Saint Pope John Paul II on St. Joseph:
“Let us imitate our model St. Joseph in all
our endeavours especially the raising and upbringing of our families. St. Joseph did Great Things in the ordinary things of life. In loving His wife, in loving His Son, and especially loving God and every person who ever lived. Let us start always in our family to love our neighbor."
"The essence and role of the family are in the final analysis specified by love. Hence the family has the mission to guard, reveal and communicate love, and this is a living reflection of and a real sharing in God's love for humanity and the love of Christ the Lord for the Church his bride. Through God's mysterious design, it was in that family that the Son of God spent long years of a hidden life. It is therefore the prototype and example for all Christian families."
The Catholic Church deeply venerates this Family and proposes it as the model for all families. The family of today can learn so much from this family. Why is this so? Because it was headed by the greatest earthly husband and dad ever, St. Joseph.
- Oh, Saint Joseph, we never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms; we dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in our name and kiss his fine head for us and ask him to return the Kiss when we draw our dying breath.
- Saint Joseph, Patron of departed souls – pray for us. Amen.
"Worthy of remembrance is the mother who gave birth to Him;
ReplyDeleteworthy of blessings is the bosom that bore Him.
[Worthy] too is Joseph, who by grace is called father
to the true Son, Him Whose Father is glorious."
--St. Ephrem, Hymns on the Nativity 2.6
I've had a devotion to St. Joseph for a few years, so I love when others write of his virtues. A devotion to St. Joseph is one of the things I wish would develop more fully in the Byzantine tradition: the only feast day for him is one he shares with David and James, other kinsmen of the Lord, on the Sunday after Nativity. St. Joseph, pray for us!