Patron Saint of Workers, Humility, and the Good Kind of “Pride

Joseph, by the work of your hands and

the sweat of your brow,

you supported Jesus and Mary,

and had the Son of God as your fellow worker.

Teach me to work as you did,

with patience and perseverance, for God and

for those whom God has given me to support.

Teach me to see in my fellow workers

the Christ who desires to be in them,

that I may always be charitable and forbearing

towards all.

Grant me to look upon work

with the eyes of faith,

so that I shall recognize in it

my share in God’s own creative activity

and in Christ’s work of our redemption,

and so take pride in it.

When it is pleasant and productive,

remind me to give thanks to God for it.

And when it is burdensome,

teach me to offer it to God,

in reparation for my sins

and the sins of the world.

I was thinking about St. Joseph today. He is just about the patron saint of humility. Think about it. He marries this chick who is supposed to be a virgin and he is told that she is bearing God's child. He doesn't do what they did in those days and renounce her. He marries her and takes the child as his own. He protects them and nurtures them and makes a home for them. A woman and somebody Else's child. Ok it was God's Son but you know what I mean.

I think the most admirable part of St. Joseph's story is that every day he went to work. He did his carpentry and whatever and took care of his family. He was a humble man. He was a Saint. We can take a lesson from him.