Friday of the Third Week of Easter
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May 1, 2020Today we celebrate St Joseph under the title of St Joseph the Worker.
We need St Joseph’s prayers under this patronage during this time more than ever. With the corona virus cautions so many people are out of work and businesses are hurting. This is an incredible time for us to place our trust in God. Maybe even more than ever before, and we can do this with St Joseph’s intercession, as we reflect on his example.
Let’s look at his trust as a worker, a husband , father and supporter of the family. First, as a just man engaged to Mary, he finds out about Mary’ pregnancy, and instead of exposing her to the law, he decides to divorce her quietly. Yet an angel in a dream or vision, tells him to take her as his wife.
As he does, he is ordered to go to Bethlehem to register for a census. As they set off for the journey, he had to close up his carpentry shop, and put his career on hold. While there, Mary gives birth, and then Joseph in another dream or vision is told to go to Egypt to flee from Herod for the safety of Jesus. When he left Nazareth, he did not know he would not be returning soon. So now he is leaving his entire shop, and career behind, hoping it is ok when he returns in a few years or not knowing how long.
To be able to leave his career and shop, this had to be done in trust. Once in Egypt he had to set up his career again, not knowing anyone, not knowing all the ins and outs of the Egyptian culture. He had to trust, in order to provide for Jesus and Mary. Then several years later he is told to return, so now he is leaving a career and shop again. Not knowing if his Nazareth shop will be there or be ok.
Once home, he had to begin his career again, with all the questions, and talk about him as to why he disappeared for years and the whole situation with Mary. Again, this is total trust. Joseph provided great care for Mary and Jesus. He worked hard for his family, worked hard in his career, and in setting up the career several times, trusting it would work out, and in the work, he did to travel with and protect Jesus and Mary.
Joseph did not have the aid we have today of unemployment or welfare. He trusted and, in his trust, did his responsibilities, and God took care and did the rest. Joseph was entrusted with taking care of Jesus and Mary and in trust accomplished it above and beyond.
If we do all in trust, after the example of Joseph, we too will be ok, and God will bless all we do.
