Month of May, Month of Mary. This triduum is suffused with the sweet maternal light of the Mother of God who, in the northern hemisphere, is honoured at this time of year with beautiful processions in which all the ravishing flowers that springtime offers are brought in to honour her peerless virtue. Here in the southern hemisphere, we ask her to keep our hearts warm with her maternal embrace as we prepare to enter winter.
Our Lady’s month begins with a feast in honour of her spouse, St Joseph whom we revere as an artisan who supported the Holy Family at the sweat of his brow. St Joseph is assuredly the model of anyone who has a hard time with work. And we all do, at least on certain days and with certain tasks.
By embracing and fulfilling our tasks with love, we are cooperating with the Redeemer in making atonement for sins and saving the world. When we look at it from this perspective we see that the most important work we have to do is the work of our sanctification, which includes all our prayers and good works.
St Pius X wrote a beautiful prayer to St Joseph, Model of Workers, which we will do well to reflect upon in the context of all the work, both spiritual and physical that we are called upon to perform for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Let it be our principle meditation during this month’s triduum of prayer and penance.
Prayer of Pope St. Pius X to St. Joseph, Model of Workers
Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who are devoted to work, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance, in order thereby to atone for my many sins; to work conscientiously, putting devotion to duty before my own inclinations; to labor with gratitude and joy, deeming it an honour to employ and to develop, by my labor, the gifts I have received from Almighty God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties; to work above all with a pure intention and with self-detachment, having always before my eyes the hour of death and the accounting which I must then render of time wasted, of talents unemployed, of good undone, and of my empty pride in success, which is so prejudicial to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all in imitation of thee, O Patriarch Joseph! This shall be my motto in life and in death. Amen.
