Today is the Feast of Joseph the Worker. Happy feast day! This feast day was instituted by Venerable Pope Pius XII in 1955 and was meant to provide workers with a spiritual patron and model, as well as an alternative to the communist celebration of May 1 as International Workers Day.
Today's feast is also aimed at reminding us of the dignity of human work and the potential path to holiness provided by our daily labors. As the the founder of Opus Dei and "saint of ordinary life", Saint Josemaria Escriva (1902-75), writes:
“Let us work. Let us work a lot and work well, without forgetting that prayer is our best weapon. That is why I will never tire of repeating that we have to be contemplative souls in the middle of the world, who try to convert their work into prayer .” (Furrow, no. 497)
Let us pray: 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. Amen.