Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Today's Mass Readings

Today we have an optional memorial in honor of St. Joseph the Worker. When I was serving as a priest in Kingston, Jamaica, we would transfer this memorial to May 23, which is Jamaica’s National Labour Day, celebrated on this date to honor the beginning of a Jamaican labor movement that led to Jamaica’s independence. This day in Jamaica was a national holiday on which we would honor the dignity of work. The people would have the day off, but they wouldn’t go to the beach. Instead they would work on projects to improve the quality of life around the country. So for example, people would come to the church and do some painting or gardening to make our church a nicer place. And we would have Mass in honor of St. Joseph the Worker.

We honor St. Joseph with this title because we know from the Gospels that Joseph was a carpenter. We know that he cared for Mary and Jesus by engaging in this craft. We can also be sure that he taught this craft to the young Jesus, and even that Jesus worked as a carpenter up until he began his ministry. In the Gospel of Mark, in chapter 6 in the story of Jesus’ rejection at Nazareth, Jesus himself is referred to as the carpenter.

We should think about this. Jesus began his public ministry at age 30. In all the years before this, from the time he was old enough to work, he worked as a carpenter. Since he only spent three years in his public ministry, he spent much more time working as a carpenter than in proclaiming the Gospel! So we should follow Jesus’ example and always be willing to work in any tasks or jobs that respect our human dignity. And we should always respect those who work for a living.

Reflection by Fr. Aquinas Keusenkothen, OSB