St. Joseph Novena Study – Day 7: Patron of Workers

Welcome to Day 7 of the St. Joseph Novena Study!

Although the feast of St. Joseph the Worker is celebrated May 1st, we get to learn about his traits today as we approach his feast.

The reading that today’s list comes from can be found here: DAY 7: PATRON OF WORKERS

Day 7 St. Joseph List

• Work of a carpenter
• Manual laborer
• Occupied with work
• Content
• Humility
• Hands occupied with work
• Mind turned to God
• Work in the presence of God
• Spirit of prayer
• Grace
• Virtue

St. Joseph the Worker

“Human work, and especially manual labor, receive special prominence in the Gospel. Along with the humanity of the Son of God, work too has been taken up in the mystery of the Incarnation, and has also been redeemed in a special way. At the workbench where he plied his trade together with Jesus, Joseph brought human work closer to the mystery of the Redemption.”

Pope St. John Paul II – Redemptoris Custos

Work dignifies mankind, showing that we are made in God’s image by allowing us to co-create with Him. God can create from nothing, but we can work alongside God as Joseph did to create something through our work with the materials God has provided.

Joseph’s Mind at Work

Work in life is not meant to be some Sisyphean punishment. The work itself is good, but even greater is who the work is for. Our list today describes St. Joseph with “mind turned to God” while his hands were at work. I think this points to a greater purpose of work.

Our work points us to leisure which points us to prayer.

Work, Leisure, and Prayer

Many of us grow up to believe that our day job is to make a paycheck, to go home and relax, and then sometimes pray. Instead, St. Joseph shows us the model of how all of these can be combined.

St. Joseph’s work with Jesus at his side is Holy leisure at its greatest, which is contemplation and time in God’s presence. After all, that is what heaven will be, eternity with Jesus.

How Can We Work Like St. Joseph?

How can we make our day look more like St. Joseph’s?

One easy way is to keep Jesus by our side. Carry a rosary in your pocket with a nice crucifix that keeps Jesus at your side all day. Take a page from St. Josemaria Escrivá:

“As a Christian, you should always carry your Crucifix with you. And place it on your desk. And kiss it before going to bed and when you wake up: and when your poor body rebels against your soul, kiss it again.”

St. Josemaria Escrivá – The Way, Point 302

Throughout our day, even if we can’t actively think of God during a difficult task, might we be able to say a prayer before working to offer up the work for God?

St. Joseph the Worker, Pray For Us

St. Joseph, model of workers. Show us how to work like you did – with Jesus at your side, Mary in your heart, and all in service of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.