Vigils Reading – St Joseph the Worker

ST JOSEPH THE WORKER

A reflection by Pope Francis4

◊◊◊

St Joseph concretely expressed his fatherhood by making an offering of

himself in love, placed at the service of the Messiah who was growing to

maturity in his home. And because of his role at the crossroads between the Old

and New Testament, St Joseph has always been venerated as a father of the

Christian people. In him, Jesus saw the tender love of God, the one that helps

us accept our weakness, because it is through and despite our fears, our frailties,

and our weakness that most divine designs are realized. Only tender love will

save us from the snares of the accuser, and it is by encountering God’s mercy in

the Sacrament of Reconciliation that we experience His truth and tenderness,

because we know that God’s truth does not condemn us, but instead welcomes,

embraces, sustains and forgives us.

Joseph is also a father in obedience to God with his “fiat”. He protects

Mary and Jesus and teaches his son to do the Will of the Father… At the same

time, Joseph is an accepting Father because he accepted Mary unconditionally

– an important gesture even today in our world where psychological, verbal and

physical violence towards women is so evident. But the Bridegroom of Mary is

also the one who, trusting in the Lord, accepts in his life even the events that he

does not understand, setting aside his own ideas and reconciling himself with

his own history.

Joseph’s spiritual path is not one that explains but accepts – which does

not mean that he is “resigned”. Instead he is courageously and firmly proactive.

Because with the Holy Spirit’s Gift of fortitude, and full of hope, he is able to

accept life as it is, with all its contradictions, frustrations and disappointments.

In practice, through St Joseph, it is as if God were to repeat to us: “Do not be

afraid” because faith gives meaning to every event, however happy or sad, and

makes us aware that God can make flowers spring up from stony ground.

Joseph did not look for shortcuts but confronted reality with open eyes and

accepted personal responsibility for it. For this reason, he encourages us to

accept and welcome others as they are, without exception and to show special

concern for the weak… Consequently every poor, needy, suffering or dying

person, every stranger, every prisoner, every infirm person is “the child” whom

Joseph continues to protect. From St Joseph, we must learn to love the Church

and the poor.

As a carpenter who earned an honest living to provide for his family, St.

Joseph also teaches us the value, the dignity and the joy of what it means to eat

bread that is the fruit of one’s own labor. This aspect of Joseph’s character

provides the opportunity to appeal in favor of work… There is a renewed need

to appreciate the importance of dignified work, of which St. Joseph is an

exemplary patron. Work is a means of participating in the work of salvation, an

opportunity to hasten the coming of the Kingdom, to develop our talents and

abilities, and to put them at the service of society and fraternal communion.

Those who work are cooperating with God Himself, and in some way become

creators of the world around us.

4 Osservatore Romano – December 8, 2021.9