Joseph, a Saint for our Time?

 

                                                                   Ade Bethune 

I follow a couple of Roman Catholic Twitter accounts which regularly inform me of saints days. They are often individuals I haven't heard of but today is the Feast Day of St. Joseph. Joseph was the father, or step-father, or kinda father of Jesus. Who want to be the Rodney Dangerfield of saints,integral to the early story of the Good News of Jesus Christ, yet not getting the respect he deserves. Perhaps he's more the Prince Philip of saints, faithful, yet two steps behind Mary and the Holy Child.

Tradition holds that Joseph was a carpenter, although the word in biblical text could be "labourer" rather than carpenter. He is the patron saint of workers, the "regular Joes" and Josephines who do what needs to be done, labouring day in and day out, without much recognition or pay.

Joseph may be the ideal saint for our time. We're now seeing the lengthy lines of essential workers waiting for their COVID vaccinations, those who can't work from home and until recently had no paid sick days.  We're hearing about workers such as PSWs in long-term care facilities who received little in the way of protection when the pandemic hit, resulting in at least eleven deaths 

We've also seen the graphs indicating that some billionaires have expanded their fortunes exponentially during the pandemic while their employees were pushed to the limit and often worked in facilities experiencing COVID outbreaks. After the initial flurry of danger pay these workers often went back to their regular wages. 

We need to keep in mind as well all those who are pressed to the limits of their resources in healthcare, While some of them are decently compensated, can we put a price on stress and the exhaustion of long hours in the midst of sickness and death? 

I have mixed feelings about the image above because Joseph was likely a swarthy Mediterranean guy who didn't have a good barber. And many of those who serve us in a host of ways are people of colour, often immigrants who have come to this country for a better life. 

Today we can turn to the example and witness of St. Joseph and pray for all those who labour, seen and unseen, on our behalf. They are sometimes described as heroes -- how about saints?