In 1955 Pope Pius XII created the second feast of Saint Joseph the worker to coincide with the International Worker’s Day on May 1. Christians must not lose sight of the dignity of their labor mandated by God to Adam & Eve. Our labor resembles the creative aspect of God our Creator. Saint Joseph humbly cared for the holy family from his trade as a carpenter & provided for their wellbeing. We too should turn to Saint Joseph in which not much is mentioned. Saint Joseph faithfully carried out his daily labor without complaint and we too should approach our labor with prayer & ask the Lord God to help us grow in holiness just as Saint Joseph.
Here is a prayer attributed to Pope St. Pius X:
O Glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations, to work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God, to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties, to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thine example, O Patriarch, St. Joseph. Such shall be my motto in life and in death. Amen.
StreetEvangelist 