May 1st brings the celebration of St. Joseph the Worker

 

Easter: May 1st

Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter; Opt. Mem. of St. Joseph the Worker

Optional Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker: O God, Creator of all things, who laid down for the human race the law of work, graciously grant that by the example of Saint Joseph and under his patronage we may complete the works you set us to do and attain the rewards you promise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

The Optional Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker was established by Pope Pius XII in 1955 in order to Christianize the concept of labor and give to all workmen a model and a protector. By the daily labor in his shop, offered to God with patience and joy, St. Joseph provided for the necessities of his holy spouse and of the Incarnate Son of God, and thus became an example to all laborers. "Workmen and all those laboring in conditions of poverty will have reasons to rejoice rather than grieve, since they have in common with the Holy Family daily preoccupations and cares" (Leo XIII).

St. Joseph the Worker
"May Day" has long been dedicated to labor and the working man. It falls on the first day of the month that is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pope Pius XII expressed the hope that this feast would accentuate the dignity of labor and would bring a spiritual dimension to labor unions. It is eminently fitting that St. Joseph, a working man who became the foster-father of Christ and patron of the universal Church, should be honored on this day.

The texts of the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours provide a catechetical synthesis of the significance of human labor seen in the light of faith. The Opening Prayer states that God, the creator and ruler of the universe, has called men and women in every age to develop and use their talents for the good of others. The Office of Readings, taken from the document of the Second Vatican Council on the Church in the modern world, develops this idea. In every type of labor, we are obeying the command of God given in Genesis 2:15 and repeated in the responsory for the Office of Readings. The responsory for the Canticle of Zechariah says that "St. Joseph faithfully practiced the carpenter's trade. He is a shining example for all workers." Then, in the second part of the Opening Prayer, we ask that we may do the work that God has asked of us and come to the rewards he has promised. In the Prayer after Communion, we ask: "May our lives manifest your love; may we rejoice forever in your peace."

The liturgy for this feast vindicates the right to work, and this is a message that needs to be heard and heeded in our modern society. In many of the documents issued by Pope John XXIII, Pope Paul VI, the Second Vatican Council and Pope John Paul II, reference is made to the Christian spirit that should permeate one's work, after the example of St. Joseph. In addition to this, there is a special dignity and value to the work done in caring for the family. The Office of Readings contains an excerpt from the Vatican II document on the modern world: "Where men and women, in the course of gaining a livelihood for themselves and their families, offer appropriate service to society, they can be confident that their personal efforts promote the work of the Creator, confer benefits on their fellowmen, and help to realize God's plan in history" (no. 34).
—Excerpted from Saints of the Roman Calendar by Enzo Lodi

Patronage: against doubt and hesitation; against pain; dying people; exiles; expectant mothers; families; fathers; happy and holy death; house hunters; immigrants; interior souls; married people; orphans; people who fight Communism; pioneers; pregnant women; social justice; travelers; unborn children

Vocational: accountants; attorneys; barristers; bursars; cabinetmakers; carpenters; cemetery workers; children; civil engineers; confectioners; craftsmen; educators; emigrants; furniture makers; grave diggers; joiners; laborers; lawyers; solicitors; teachers; wheelwrights; workers; working people

Church: Catholic Church; Oblates of Saint Joseph; protection of the Church; Universal Church; Vatican II

Countries: Americas; Austria; Belgium; Bohemia; Canada; China; Croatia; Croatian people; Indonesia; Korea; Mexico; New France; New World; Papal States; Peru; Philippines; Russia; Vatican City; Vietnam

Symbols and Representation: Bible; branch; carpenter's square; carpenter's tools; chalice; cross; hand tools; infant Jesus; ladder; lamb; lily; monstrance; old man holding a lily and a carpenter's tool such as a square; old man holding the infant Jesus; plane; rod.

Saint Joseph: Terror of Demons by Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly

 St. Joseph's Feast Day is today; actually, it is a Solemnity!  St. Joseph is honored as one of the=he Church's greatest Saints and powerful intercessors.  St. Joseph has many titles; the most striking and my personal favorite is Terror of Demons.

Why is St. Joseph such a strong protector in spiritual warfare and why is his help so needed today?

In the Gospel of Matthew, we read that he is a "just man" (Mt 1:19) and not a single word of his own is ever recorded.  His actions speak volumes and help us understand why demons would fear him.

Joseph was a man of deep humility and never sought his own will but sacrificed to follow God's will.  We know that he was prepared to divorce Mary quietly when she was found with child; he did not want her to be exposed to shame or worse.  An angel appeared to Joseph and told him, "Do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.  It is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her."  (Mt 1:19-20).

This carpenter set aside all fear and took a leap of faith.  He trusted completely in God's providence and accepted the call to be the earthly father of Jesus, the Son of God.  His yes had enormous consequences; he protected the Holy Family from all manner of evil and helped raise Jesus to manhood under his and Mary's watchful care.  In a hidden yet essential role, Joseph made possible the unfolding of Christ's saving mission.  

St. Joseph was a man of obedience.  Every message received from the Lord was met without hesitation.  He did not argue or delay; he acted immediately to protect those entrusted to him.  When warned that Herod sought to kill the child, Joseph rose and took Jesus & Mary by night to Egypt.  (Mt 2:14).

The humility and obedience of Joseph stand in stark contrast to the pride and rebellion of Satan.  This is why St. Joseph is such a spiritual ally in the fight against evil.

A priest with the St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal - a Catholic ministry that serves people seeking deliverance from demonic influence shares a compelling testimony.  During an exorcism of a woman eventually delivered from demonic possession, the Litany of St. Joseph was prayed aloud.  At the invocation "St. Joseph, Terror of Demons," the demons reacted violently.  Afterward, the woman explained that it was clear the demons were shaken by the prayers offered in his name.  She even described a vivid sense of the spiritual presence of St. Joseph in the room; a moment she will never forget.

St. Josemaria Escriva once observed, "The greatest saint in the history of the Church is not a pope, cardinal, bishop, priest or friar.  The greatest Saint in the history of the Church is a layman, a husband, a father and a worker."

As we strive to live our vocations faithfully and confront the forces of evil in our own time - in our homes, our parishes and society, let us look to St. Joseph as a model of authentic masculinity: humble, obedient, courageous.  He is the Terror of Demons, and his quiet strength remains an enduring source of protection for us today.

Vivat Jesus!

{Written by Patrick E. Kelly, Supreme Knight, Knights of Columbus for KNIGHTLINE, volume 44, #11.