St. Joseph the worker

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Thursday, 1 May 2025 : 2nd Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we mark the occasion of the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, the patron saint of all workers and those who labour in this world, which is essentially many among us who toil, labour and work each day to make ends meet and to provide for our families and loved ones. This celebration of St. Joseph the Worker is a response from the Church, instituted by Pope Pius XII exactly seventy years ago in the Year of Our Lord 1955, to mark the occasion of May Day, also known as Labour Day. Back then, communism was ascendant throughout most of the world, a great force of evil and wickedness that caused a lot of hardships for the Christians in many areas. And the labour movement was key to the growth of communist ideology, which the Pope then therefore decided to counter by invoking the patronage of St. Joseph over all the workers.

In our first reading today, we heard from the account of the creation of the world and the universe by the Lord from the Book of Genesis, in which God our Master and Creator made all things to be, and today’s passage focus specifically on the creation of mankind, all of us, who have been created in God’s own image and likeness, to be the ones to share His love and blessings, His grace and compassionate kindness. We have been created as the pinnacle of God’s creation and we have been made such that we may be the ones to take good care of everything which God had created. Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, that account of creation of man reminds us all that all of us share the responsibility of living our lives virtuously and with proper guidance from God, in how we exercise our control and use of the many resources and things that have been entrusted to us in this world.

It is an important reminder for us that in our daily living in this world, in how we carry on our lives, we must always be centred on God and do everything for the greatness of God, in all of our work, our toils, struggles, labours and in everything that we say and do. We must not easily be swayed by the many temptations and desires present all around us which may lead us astray, keeping us away from the Lord and His righteous path. Many among us and our predecessors had been so tempted and attached to the many worldly desires and ambitions all around us such that we seek and desire for them, in the expense of our own connection with God and others, and in many of those occasions in fact, many among us have caused hurt and sufferings to others because of our desires and attachments to our ambitions and pride.

Instead we are all called to reorientate ourselves and our lives, our works and efforts to the Lord. We should do our work, efforts, labours and toils not for our own selfish desires and advantages, for our desire for money, pleasures and all the things which can bring us ever further away from God. We should dedicate ourselves to the Lord instead and strive to do our best such that we always perform each work and actions with God at the centre of our existence and efforts. Our good works and labours should always be fruitful and good for everyone around us, and responsible to this world and creation which God had made for us all. We are the stewards entrusted with God with this world around us, and not just the world itself, but also with one another, our fellow brothers and sisters around us.

Then from our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. Matthew in which the people of Nazareth confronting the Lord Jesus when He returned back to His hometown of Nazareth and taught in their synagogue. He proclaimed the words of the Scriptures taken from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, in which the prophecy of the Messiah was contained. In that prophecy, Isaiah spoke of the coming of God’s salvation through the signs and wonders that would accompany the coming of His Messiah or Saviour, and the Lord proclaimed that everything had indeed come true just as the Lord had said it would be, and that He Himself is the Saviour that God had promised to His people, and that very day they heard the words of Isaiah, everything had been fulfilled according to God’s will and plan.

But as we heard, the people of Nazareth grumbled and complained, because to them, Jesus was merely the Son of the village carpenter, the One Whom they thought they had known for many years, and therefore it was impossible for them, in their perception, that Jesus could be the very Messiah that the prophet Isaiah had spoken about, and they also doubted what they had heard about the Wisdom and the many miracles that Jesus had performed, despite having witnessed and heard these themselves, with their own eyes and ears. All these were caused by their own prejudices and biases, their arrogance and expectations. They thought that since carpenter was then a very poorly regarded job, often disregarded and being prejudiced against, as the job for the uneducated and the poor, therefore it was impossible for the Lord Jesus to be Who He said He was, according to their prejudices and ideas.

The Lord wants to show us all therefore that we should not be preoccupied by titles, by prestige or other worldly matters and ideals which often framed how we perceive things around us. As employees, many of us often looked down on ourselves just because we perceive or think that our kind and nature of work is something that is less worthy or ideal, and the same can be said of employers too, that we as employers tend to look down on our own employees and on those whom we deem to be less worthy, inferior and not as good as ours in livelihood and work. Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is not the attitude that any one of us as Christian workers and faithful should be adopting, and we should keep ourselves distant and free from the shackles of these worldly desires and ambitions which can lead us down the wrong path in life.

Therefore, we invoke the patronage of St. Joseph the Worker, the faithful and courageous, virtuous and just St. Joseph, the foster-father of the Lord, a simple and yet great carpenter, the ever hardworking servant of God who lived his life with great virtues and as good role models for all of us, just as he had been great role model and teacher for his foster Son, our Lord Jesus Himself. Let us all follow his good examples, his virtues, faith and dedication to God, so that by our own works, blessed by God, our own willingness to walk the path of our Christian faith with true dedication and commitment to God, we shall come ever closer to the Lord and His Presence, and be worthy one day to share in the eternal inheritance that He has promised to all those who are faithful to Him.

May the Lord, our most wonderful and loving Master continue to bless each and every one of us, and bless us with the strength, courage and perseverance especially when we encounter a lot of hardships and challenges in our lives. May our lives continue to bring glory to God and may He continue to guide us all with the examples like that shown by St. Joseph the Worker, our inspiration and example, in our own commitment to live a truly faithful Christian life, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 1 May 2025 : 2nd Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 3 : 31-36

At that time, John the Baptist said, “He Who comes from above is above all; he who comes from the earth belongs to the earth, and his words belong to the earth. He Who comes from heaven speaks of the things He has seen and heard; He bears witness to these things, but no one accepts His testimony. Whoever does receive His testimony acknowledges the truthfulness of God.”

“The One sent by God speaks God’s words, and gives the Spirit unstintingly. The Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything into His hands. Whoever believes in the Son lives with eternal life; but he who will not believe in the Son will never know life, and always faces the justice of God.”

Alternative reading (Mass of St. Joseph)

Matthew 13 : 54-58

At that time, Jesus went to His hometown and taught the people in their synagogue. They were amazed and said, “Where did He get this wisdom and these special powers? Is He not the carpenter’s Son? Is Mary not His mother and are James, Joseph, Simon and Judas not His brothers? Are not all His sisters living here? How did He get all this?” And so they took offence at Him.

Jesus said to them, “The only place where prophets are not welcome is their hometown and in their own family.” And He did not perform many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

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Thursday, 1 May 2025 : 2nd Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 33 : 2 and 9, 17-18, 19-20

I will bless the Lord all my days; His praise will be ever on my lips. Oh, see and taste the goodness of the Lord! Blessed is the one who finds shelter in Him!

But His face is set against the wicked to destroy their memory from the earth. The Lord hears the cry of the righteous and rescues them from all their troubles.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves the distraught. Many are the troubles of the just, but the Lord delivers them from all.

Alternative Psalm (Mass of St. Joseph)

Psalm 89 : 2, 3-4, 12-13, 14 and 16

Before the mountains were formed, before You made the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity – You are God.

You turn humans back to dust, saying, “Return, o mortals!” A thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has passed, or like a watch in the night.

So make us know the shortness of our life, that we may gain wisdom of heart. How long will You be angry, o Lord? Have mercy on Your servant.

Fill us at daybreak with Your goodness, that we may be glad all our days. Let Your work be seen by Your servants and Your glorious power by their children.

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Thursday, 1 May 2025 : 2nd Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 5 : 27-33

So the High Priest and his supporters brought the Apostles in and made them stand before the Council and the High Priest questioned them, “We gave you strict orders not to preach such a Saviour; but you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend charging us with the killing of this Man.”

To this Peter and the Apostles replied, “Better for us to obey God rather than any human authority! The God of our ancestors raised Jesus Whom you killed by hanging Him on a wooden post. God set Him at His right hand as Leader and Saviour, to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses to all these things, as well as the Holy Spirit Whom God has given to those who obey Him.

When the Council heard this, they became very angry and wanted to kill them.

Alternative reading (Mass of St. Joseph)

Genesis 1 : 26 – Genesis 2 : 3

God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, to Our likeness. Let them rule over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the cattle, over the wild animals, and over all creeping things that crawl along the ground.” So God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it, rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky, over every living creature that moves on the ground.” God said, “I have given you every seed bearing plants which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree that bears fruit with seed. It will be for your food. To every wild animal, to every bird of the sky, to everything that creeps along the ground, to everything that has the breath of life, I give every green plant for food.” So it was.

God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. There was evening and there was morning : the sixth day. That was the way the sky and earth were created and all their vast array. By the seventh day the work God had done was completed, and He rested on the seventh day from all the work He had done. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on that day He rested from all the work He had done in His creation.

Alternative reading (Mass of St. Joseph)

Colossians 3 : 14-15, 17, 23-24

Above all, clothe yourselves with love which binds everything together in perfect harmony. May the peace of Christ overflow in your hearts; for this end you were called to be one body. And be thankful. And whatever you do or say, do it in the Name of Jesus, the Lord, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly, working for the Lord, and not for humans. You well know, that the Lord will reward you with the inheritance. You are servants, but your Lord is Christ.

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Wednesday, 1 May 2024 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the occasion of the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, in conjunction with the secular celebration and commemoration of the May Day or Labour Day in many countries, celebrated on the first day of May each year. On this day we remember the workers in our midst, all of us who are working, labouring and toiling each day for our livelihood in various ways, in our respective areas in life, in whatever we are doing in this world to sustain ourselves, our families and our loved ones, and we unite all these efforts and works, with the great role model for all workers, that is St. Joseph himself, the Patron of all workers and all those who work hard to make ends meet for themselves and their loved ones.

St. Joseph, the foster father of Our Lord and Saviour, as His protector and guide was also a carpenter, who was hardworking and upright in his life and works. St. Joseph was not described much in the Gospels but according to what was available and to Apostolic tradition, he was a righteous man who dedicated himself to his family, and he was honest in his dealings, as a role model for his family and for the people all around him. At that time, being a carpenter was not an easy thing to do, as this job often required a lot of physical work and effort while at the same time, carpenters were often looked down upon by many people because it was considered as a menial and hard work, deemed as a job for the uneducated and poor people.

However, arguably St. Joseph was way better and more exemplary in his life than all those so-called educated and intelligent elites of the society, such as the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who dominated the politics and the community of the people of God at the time. While the latter disobeyed and disregarded God’s Law and commandments to satisfy their own desires and worldly ambitions, resisting the works and the words of the Lord Himself, preferring to keep on their own understanding and interpretation of the Law of the Lord, St. Joseph quietly listened to the Lord and obeyed, doing whatever he had been tasked and entrusted to do, humbly and without much noise or complaining, even when he was faced with a lot of difficulties.

For example, when St. Joseph had to protect the Holy Family, the Lord and His mother Mary from the great dangers facing them immediately after He was born, he had to take care of them and bring them away from the land of Judea, and into exile in Egypt away from those who sought to kill Him, just as earlier on he had to help the heavily pregnant Mary to find a place to stay in as she was about to give birth in Bethlehem during the census. Yet, despite all these things and all the hardships that he had to bear and endure, he did all of them quietly and faithfully, entrusting everything to the Lord and doing whatever he could in fulfilling what he had been entrusted to do. St. Joseph was a man of action and in all of his actions he always made sure that God is always at the centre of them all.

This is why St. Joseph is truly a great role model for all of us, as a faithful disciple and follower of the Lord, as a righteous and upright man, as a good and hardworking person, dedicated in whatever he does, so that in all that he had done, he always did them with grace and love, in remaining humble and unassuming in all things, allowing himself to be a great role model and inspiration to everyone else, in showing us all how we can live our lives worthily of the Lord and be the inspirations for others. By his labours and hard works done with righteousness and justice, St. Joseph showed us that it is truly better for us to do what is right and just in our actions and remain worthy in the eyes of the Lord rather than to gain the glory and riches of the world and yet losing our souls to the darkness of sin and evil. That is why we should follow his good examples.

Now, let us examine our Scripture passages carefully that just as St. Joseph had shown us through his actions and works, we may also be better able to live our lives worthily in the Lord at all times. In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles in which the arguments that happened between the Apostles and the members of the Church who proposed the imposition of the strict Jewish laws and customs upon all the faithful were told to us. At that time, the Church was growing rapidly and many people from both the Jewish community and diaspora as well as from the non-Jewish peoples, or the Gentiles, came to believe in the Lord and followed Him. However, some of them disagreed in the manner how they should live as disciples and followers of the Lord.

Some of the disciples came from among the Jewish elites like the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who were very particular and strict regarding the Law of God and the practices as revealed and passed down through the generations of many Israelites from the time of Moses. However, those practices would have made it rather difficult for many among the non-Jewish peoples to follow the Lord because of the cultural differences, obstacles and context of the time. But the two Apostles, St. Paul and St. Barnabas, who had ministered and proclaimed the Word of God among the Gentiles spoke up courageously and firmly against those who sought to impose false ways on the Church and the people of God. They laboured faithfully among the people in the mold of St. Joseph himself, in doing God’s good works and obeying His will, not for their own glory but for the greater glory of God.

Ultimately, they also carried out the good works of the Lord, Who had molded this world in the image that He had imagined for it. The Lord Himself was also often described as a Potter, as the Scriptures quoted Him as a Potter before, and like a carpenter such as St. Joseph, God sent out His servants into this world so that through each and every one of them might bear God’s truth and love to the world, and bring everyone ever closer towards Him. Through His countless efforts and works He made through His Apostles and disciples, and through His saints like the great St. Joseph, Holy Patron and Protector of workers, He has shaped us and our lives, and brought us all into this great Church, the great Ark through which He has gathered all of us much like what Noah had done, to bring us all out of the darkness and certainty of destruction into a new life and existence with Him.

Brothers and sisters, as we reflect upon the words of the Scriptures that we have heard today, and as we look upon the examples of St. Joseph, and also the Holy Apostles and the many other holy saints, holy men and women of God, let us all therefore be inspired by their examples and commit ourselves wholeheartedly to the Lord our God in all things. In all of our labours and works, let us always remind ourselves to do everything not for our own personal ambitions and desires, but instead seek to proclaim the truth and glory of God. We should also always be honest, righteous and good in all of our actions, words and deeds, to be exemplary in our faith at all times, following in the footsteps of St. Joseph the Worker.

May the Risen Lord continue to guide and strengthen us in all of our resolve and efforts so that we may continue to do great works for the glory of God and for the good of His people. May God be with us always, and may He empower and bless the Church, all of us, in all the things we say and do, now and always, forevermore. Holy Patron, St. Joseph the Worker, pray for us all to the Lord. Amen.

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Wednesday, 1 May 2024 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 15 : 1-8

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “I am the True Vine and My Father is the Vinegrower. If any of My branches does not bear fruit, He breaks it off; and He prunes every branch that does bear fruit, that it may bear even more fruit.”

“You are already made clean by the word I have spoken to you. Live in Me as I live in you. The branch cannot bear fruit by itself, but has to remain part of the vine; so neither can you, if you do not remain in Me. I am the Vine and you are the branches. As long as you remain in Me and I in you, you bear much fruit; but apart from Me you can do nothing.”

“Whoever does not remain in Me is thrown away, as they do with branches, and they wither. Then they are gathered and thrown into the fire and burnt. If you remain in Me and My words in you, you may ask whatever you want, and it will be given to you. My Father is glorified when you bear much fruit : it is then that you become My disciples.”

Alternative reading (Mass of St. Joseph)

Matthew 13 : 54-58

At that time, Jesus went to His hometown and taught the people in their synagogue. They were amazed and said, “Where did He get this wisdom and these special powers? Is He not the carpenter’s Son? Is Mary not His mother and are James, Joseph, Simon and Judas not His brothers? Are not all His sisters living here? How did He get all this?” And so they took offence at Him.

Jesus said to them, “The only place where prophets are not welcome is their hometown and in their own family.” And He did not perform many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

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Wednesday, 1 May 2024 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 121 : 1-2, 3-4a, 4b-5

I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” And now we have set foot within your gates, o Jerusalem!

Jerusalem, just like a city, where everything falls into place! There the tribes go up.

The tribes of the Lord, the assembly of Israel, to give thanks to the Lord’s Name. There stand the courts of justice, the offices of the house of David.

Alternative reading (Mass of St. Joseph)

Psalm 89 : 2, 3-4, 12-13, 14 and 16

Before the mountains were formed, before You made the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity – You are God.

You turn humans back to dust, saying, “Return, o mortals!” A thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has passed, or like a watch in the night.

So make us know the shortness of our life, that we may gain wisdom of heart. How long will You be angry, o Lord? Have mercy on Your servant.

Fill us at daybreak with Your goodness, that we may be glad all our days. Let Your work be seen by Your servants and Your glorious power by their children.

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Wednesday, 1 May 2024 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 15 : 1-6

Some persons who had come from Judea to Antioch were teaching the brothers in this way, “Unless you are circumcised according to the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Because of this there was trouble, and Paul and Barnabas had fierce arguments with them. For Paul told the people to remain as they were when they became believers. Finally those who had come from Jerusalem suggested that Paul and Barnabas and some others go up to Jerusalem to discuss the matter with the Apostles and elders.

They were sent on their way by the Church. As they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria they reported how the non-Jews had turned to God, and there was great joy among all the brothers and sisters. On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, the Apostles and the elders, to whom they told all that God had done through them.

Some believers, however, who belonged to the party of the Pharisees, stood up and said that non-Jewish men must be circumcised and instructed to keep the law of Moses. So the Apostles and elders met together to consider the matter.

Alternative reading (Mass of St. Joseph)

Genesis 1 : 26 – Genesis 2 : 3

God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, to Our likeness. Let them rule over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the cattle, over the wild animals, and over all creeping things that crawl along the ground.” So God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it, rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky, over every living creature that moves on the ground.” God said, “I have given you every seed bearing plants which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree that bears fruit with seed. It will be for your food. To every wild animal, to every bird of the sky, to everything that creeps along the ground, to everything that has the breath of life, I give every green plant for food.” So it was.

God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. There was evening and there was morning : the sixth day. That was the way the sky and earth were created and all their vast array. By the seventh day the work God had done was completed, and He rested on the seventh day from all the work He had done. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on that day He rested from all the work He had done in His creation.

Alternative reading (Mass of St. Joseph)

Colossians 3 : 14-15, 17, 23-24

Above all, clothe yourselves with love which binds everything together in perfect harmony. May the peace of Christ overflow in your hearts; for this end you were called to be one body. And be thankful. And whatever you do or say, do it in the Name of Jesus, the Lord, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly, working for the Lord, and not for humans. You well know, that the Lord will reward you with the inheritance. You are servants, but your Lord is Christ.

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Monday, 1 May 2023 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the occasion of the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, the Patron saint of all workers and all those who labour in this world, in conjunction with the secular celebration of the Labour Day or May Day. This Feast was instituted by the great Pope Pius XII in the year of 1955, during the time when the threat of Communism was rising everywhere in the world, with many Christians and people all around the world oppressed by Communist regimes and governments, and others yet having dangerous Communist movements and uprisings that were aiming to destroy the Christian faith, the Church and the belief in God. The atheistic Communists thought that they could overcome God and His Church, but the Lord showed them through this Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, that their belief and understanding of labour was truly flawed and inadequate, and one that the world should be wary about.

As compared to the soulless, empty and futile celebration of human and worldly labour in the Labour and May Day commemorations, and the glorification of worldly achievements and desires, which is the way how the Communists and the secular world tend to celebrate this day, and for the former which focused a lot on the matter of class struggle between the workers against the so-called more privileged classes, the true commemoration of labour and work as we celebrate today is not by focusing on ourselves and on our worldly achievements. Instead, St. Joseph as the Patron of the whole Universal Church, the foster-father of Our Lord and Saviour, is also the role model and patron for all the workers of the world. In his virtues and inspirational way of life, serves as a good example and shining beacon to help and guide us down the right path in life.

St. Joseph in his dedication to the Lord, his righteousness and virtues, and in his simple but honest living as a humble and unassuming carpenter in his village of Nazareth, is the perfect role model for all of us as Christians in our work life and ethics. Instead of the endless pursuits of worldly desires, achievements, ambitions and other forms of desires and pleasures of this world, as is common in our world today, as it has been in the past, St. Joseph showed us all what true workmanship is like, and he also reminds us what our labours and works are actually for. Many of us did not understand and realise what we should be doing in reconciling and harmonising our Christian faith with our work life and ethics. St. Joseph, the holy patron of the Church and all workers is our perfect guide to help and guide us down the right path, that we do not end up falling into the wrong ways in this life.

The job of a carpenter is a tough and often unappreciated one. Carpenters were important then as it is today because they made the important tools required in many aspects of life, especially in agriculture and husbandry, in taking care of the crops and the animals. However, despite the importance of the carpenter’s role, nobody usually remembered or thanked the carpenter, and they were usually treated with indifference, or even contempt and disgust. Carpenters were looked down upon and considered as a low-paying job and one that did not bring about prestige and good living. Yet, without them and their works, the society could not have survived or functioned properly as it was. St. Joseph, amidst all these, worked humbly, lived righteously and justly, and became a great role model and father figure not only for Our Lord Jesus Christ, His foster Son, but also to all of us as Christians.

In today’s Scripture readings, we heard of the works that the Lord our God, our Creator and Master Himself had done, in making us and in bringing us to life. In our first reading today, from the Mass of St. Joseph, we heard of the account of the creation of Man, how God made our first forebears and then placed everything under our care, stewardship and dominion, and then rested from all of His labours at the end of His work. In that passage, we can clearly see how the Lord’s own works in creating the world is also likened to that of a craftsman, and a carpenter. God is indeed the One Who had crafted and made the world, and He had patiently created us all, cared for us and provided for us all throughout despite our constant rebelliousness and unwillingness to listen to Him and obey His Law and commandments. Like St. Joseph, who as a carpenter, was looked down upon, we tend to do the same to the Lord as well, ignoring and abandoning Him, and only remembering Him when we have need of Him.

Not only that, but the Lord Himself has willingly then come down upon us as we all know it, in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, sent into this world. He was born of His mother Mary, and became the Son of a humble and upright carpenter, St. Joseph himself. From St. Joseph, the Lord likely learnt the virtue of obedience and also other good and virtuous values and deeds, which we ourselves should take heed of and follow as well in our own lives. This same Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, would go on to bear His Cross, bearing the whole burden of our many and innumerable sins and punishments due to those sins, obediently following the will of His heavenly Father, and doing all just as how His foster father, St. Joseph, the model of all workers, has shown and taught Him earlier on in His life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired as well by the good examples showed by St. Joseph, holy worker and man of God, in all of his righteousness and virtuous life. Let us all commit ourselves to the Lord anew in the same manner as St. Joseph had committed himself, and let us all come closer to the Lord and carry on living our lives in the best way possible, as virtuous and faithful Christians, in doing God’s will and in living our lives to the best of our ability, in proclaiming God’s love and truth in our respective communities, now and henceforth. Each and every one of us have our part to play as Christians, to be exemplary and faithful in our daily living, and to inspire each other to walk ever more faithfully in God’s Presence, to live as how St. Joseph had once lived his life, with virtue and devotion to God. Let our work glorify the Lord and not for our own personal glorification or for the pursuit of our own selfish ambitions.

May the Risen Lord continue to bless each and every one of us, and guide us in our works and ministry, and with the intercession from St. Joseph, His foster father, the patron and model of all workers, may all of us who labour and work continue to be reminded to do our work in accordance with God’s will and in line with our Christian faith and beliefs, and to carry on our works with consideration and care for others all around us. May God be with us all and with His Church, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Monday, 1 May 2023 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 10 : 1-10

Jesus said to His disciples, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. Not so the hired hand, or any other person who is not the shepherd, and to whom the sheep do not belong. They abandon the sheep as soon as they see the wolf coming; then the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep. This is because the hired hand works for pay and cares nothing for the sheep.”

“I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me, as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. Because of this, I give My life for My sheep. I have other sheep which are not of this fold. These I have to lead as well, and they shall listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, since there is one Shepherd.”

“The Father loves Me, because I lay down My life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down freely. It is Mine to lay down and to take up again : this mission I received from My Father.”

Alternative reading (Mass of St. Joseph)

Matthew 13 : 54-58

At that time, Jesus went to His hometown and taught the people in their synagogue. They were amazed and said, “Where did He get this wisdom and these special powers? Is He not the carpenter’s Son? Is Mary not His mother and are James, Joseph, Simon and Judas not His brothers? Are not all His sisters living here? How did He get all this?” And so they took offence at Him.

Jesus said to them, “The only place where prophets are not welcome is their hometown and in their own family.” And He did not perform many miracles there because of their lack of faith.