Sunday:       SAINT JOSEPH THE WORKER
Date:         May 1, 2000
Year:         B
The readings: [Acts 4:23-31; Jn. 3:1-8]
The message:  The love of one's labour in the workplace.
Prepared by:  CATHOLIC DOORS MINISTRY
Total words:  891

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My brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome to today's celebration of the Holy Mass that commemorates the liturgical Feast of St. Joseph the Worker.

Today's Feast is one of two that are celebrated by the Catholic Church in honour of St. Joseph. The first Feast, St. Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary and Patron of the Universal Church, was celebrated on March 20 th. Today's Feast that commemorates St. Joseph as a carpenter, exemplifies the working people who are dignified by their labour and who bring Christ into their workplace.

It was not until the 15 th century that the name of St. Joseph was entered into the Liturgical Calendar of the Catholic Church. Since then, devotion to St. Joseph experienced a tremendous growth. Finally, in 1955, Pope Pius XII proclaimed on May 1, Labour Day in many countries, the Feast that we are joyfully celebrating today.

When we reflect on St. Joseph who was a worker, what comes to our minds? As a general rule, we associate the word 'worker' with 'career' and 'employment.' This association relates to our secular work. But what about our spiritual work?

Through St. Joseph as a model to Christians, we see a love for both, his worldly and spiritual labour. St. Joseph was an artistic carpenter who loved to transform a piece of wood by creating useful objects. Through his mind, he surely perceived that the wood that came from the trees was a God given gift. As Christian carvers of wood do, St. Joseph must have spent many hours in prayer to God the Father so he could be enlightened as to the potential end result of each piece of wood that was processed through the labour of his hands.

As all parents do, St. Joseph had to fulfill his obligation to support his family. He worked to support the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus.

Through his work, St. Joseph had to be honest in his dealings with the suppliers of wood and the buyers or traders who purchased his finished product. His honesty was a reflection of his obedience to the command of God to live a righteous life.

As a parent, when his adopted Son Jesus came of age, St. Joseph had to work with Him. He had to teach his trade to Jesus who was God incarnated in human form.

In all these things, we see the correlation of the worldly and the spiritual labour in the work place. Through St. Joseph, we are reminded of how we should labour in our Christian life at work and at home.

In today's First Reading, we heard of the labour of Peter and John in their ministry. We heard of the labour of Herod, Pontius Pilate, some of the Gentiles and some of the people of Israel who crucified Jesus. Can we honestly say that in all of these, their worldly and spiritual labour were in harmony? No! The perfect harmony was in the Apostles but it was not in the others who placed their worldly needs above their spiritual needs. Those who were seeking fame, power and wealth lacked love, honesty and justice. They were only concerned about the 'me', the selfish 'me' that destroys others.

Today's Gospel reading concerned Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews who was asking Jesus what must be done to be saved. Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit." Being of a worldly mind, Nicodemus did not understand the spiritual teaching of the Lord Jesus.

Jesus was telling Nicodemus that through physical birth, we are born in the flesh. Through spiritual birth by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Baptism, we are born again as a new creation. The new creation is the new human spirit within us. As St. James stated, "A body without a spirit is dead." [Jas. 2:26] Jesus said, "What is born of flesh is flesh; what is born of Spirit is spirit. The hour is now here, when true worshippers worship the Father in spirit and truth. For the Father seeks such as those to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. [Jn. 4:23-4]

Those who live model lives as St. Joseph did, they do so by the grace of God the Father in the Most Holy Name of Jesus through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit who guides them in the ways of God. Through the new heart and spirit that they have received during the Sacrament of Baptism, they embrace the spiritual way that Jesus commanded His followers to follow. Without embracing a spiritual mind, it is impossible to please God.

For St. Joseph to please God, he had to meet all the above conditions with the exception of the Sacrament of Baptism that was not implemented at that time. Joseph's 'yes' to accept the Virgin Mary as his spouse was his baptismal 'yes' to faithfully serve the Lord God. For us to please God, we have to meet all the above conditions. That is our assurance of our salvation and eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

Let us always look up to St. Joseph as one of our Patron Saints. As the Patron of workers, for those of us who work, St. Joseph is the model that we should imitate to ensure that the grace of God shall continue to flow upon us and flourish through us.

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The readings...

[The readings were taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America.]

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First Reading...

"After Peter and John were released by the rulers and elders, they went to their friends and reported what they chief priests and the elders had said to them. When their companions heard it, they raised their voice together to God and said, Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant: 'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers have gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.' For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

And now. Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.

When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness." [Acts 4:23-31]

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Gospel Reading...

"Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.' Jesus answered him, 'Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.'

Nicodemus said to him, 'How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?' Jesus answered, 'Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you. You must be born from above.' The wind blows where it chooses, and you heart the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes form or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.'" [Jn. 3:1-8]

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