Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 13, 54-58
Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said,
“Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter’s son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?”
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house.”
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.
Work
1) Work brings dignity. In work we discover how much we can contribute to society and to our life. Work allows us to stand on our own feet in life and face life with our own tools. The fatigue that work brings means we’ve put in effort and dedication. Work entails a daily struggle for a dream. I’m thinking of how many people have overcome so many obstacles and situations to be able to have their house, their land, their car. Work helps us to achieve things with effort and sacrifice but knowing that later we will enjoy the harvest we have achieved.
2) Work sanctifies. Christians have a supernatural vision of work and can see it as the place or opportunity of meeting God. Work is your mass, where you offer God the Father everything you have accomplished. It is sacrifice in the sense of “making something sacred”.
3) Work is a source of motivation. Because it’s what helps you to keep on striving for your dream and for the livelihood of your loved ones, day after day. What a beautiful example St. Joseph sets for us. He faced the sudden, difficult situation that he was faced with, with absolute responsibility and supernatural vision. Today let’s pray to Saint Joseph for those workers who struggle day by day to support their families and their country; for those workers who leave home early in the morning to bring food to their family’s table; for those workers who have to sit in an office for hours, and for those who go out to work for pennies.
May St. Joseph help us to always have work and bread on our tables. Christ blesses and encourages those workers who go out day by day. Remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
