Saint Joseph the Worker

St. Joseph is the only saint to bear the title “the Worker,” and from the little captured about him in Scripture, his work is central to his personality and his role in raising and teaching Jesus. Author Mike Aquilina writes in Angelus News, “The New Testament tells us, in Greek, that St. Joseph was a ‘tekton’…[which] is Greek for ‘craftsman’ or ‘artisan.’…That meant he was a skilled laborer… It’s the name his neighbors remembered him by.”

The Jewish Torah taught that all work reflected human dignity, and fathers had an obligation to teach their sons a trade that would help them earn a living. This would have certainly been the case in St. Joseph’s workshop. What’s more, ordinary work was believed to have divine dignity, which could be made holy and reflect the glory of God. This thinking continued in the early Church and was countercultural to Roman and Greek societies that valued philosophy, leisure, and wealth more than hard labor. Aquilina writes, “The Church Fathers didn’t hesitate to portray Jesus working at various trades. And everyone recognized this as a radical idea.”

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Respect for the Trades

Ask any homeowner how difficult it is to route a pipe to a mainline or properly wire a circuit into an electric panel, and you’ll discover a genuine respect for those who can complete these tasks. In recent years, the building trades have been making a comeback, as more young people see the benefit of learning plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, construction, and masonry.

In Lanham, Maryland, the young men and women at Plumbers and Gasfitters Union Local 5’s training facility have proven that they need to combine intellect with elbow grease to master their jobs. Yet, many feel misunderstood, as society often equates manual labor with a lack of education. As motorcycle repairman Matthew Crawford (who holds a PhD) told CBS News, “If people never attempted skilled manual work, they may not understand just how intellectually rich and engaging it can be.”

All jobs are worthy of respect, and those who work with their hands must first figure out complex solutions in their minds. It takes skill, imagination, and intelligence to be a good tradesperson. Furthermore, the business acumen of self-employed plumbers or electricians often surprises people. They must master marketing, accounting, personnel management, and countless other tasks to run a successful independent business.

Tradespeople earn money while apprenticing and can eventually earn lucrative salaries once they’ve mastered their craft. They hope that white-collar America will adopt a new attitude towards them. Jake Thiess, an apprentice at Local 5, said, “We do work with our hands a lot, but a lot of it’s up here [indicating his brain]… People think it’s simple to fix a toilet or weld a pipe. A guy I work with said it’s art without an audience.”

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Teacher for a Day

No matter how wealthy or famous someone is, there are still people they look up to, such as teachers! NBA star Mikal Bridges, who plays basketball for the Brooklyn Nets, got the chance to live out one of his dreams when he spent a day as a substitute teacher in Brooklyn, New York. Speaking to CBS News, he shared his experience. The second graders were thrilled to see him arrive in their classroom as their unexpected instructor, a bit taller, at six foot six, than their regular teacher.

Just like any other substitute teacher, Bridges took the students to music class, lunch, and recess. He taught them math, his favorite subject. He confessed to the students, “My other dream was being a second-grade teacher. I think just helping kids has always been a big thing of mine… I loved second grade when I was young. I feel like that was one of the years I really remember… I had a great teacher named Ms. Porter, and I feel like I always loved second grade.”

One student asked Bridges why he didn’t become a teacher. His thoughtful reply gave the students who idolize sports stars a reason to pause. “Because of basketball,” Bridges replied. “But basketball doesn’t go forever. This is just the first part of my journey, so I think ‘teacher’ is going to come up next. [I’m] trying to do both.”

Seeing one of their heroes respect and value the work of teachers had a significant impact on the students. It showed that fame and fortune aren’t the sole measures of a job well done—or a job worth doing.

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A Hospice Nurse’s Calling

Trudy Harris is a hospice nurse whose work not only brings comfort and care to the dying, but it also allows her to witness moments that glimpse a reality beyond what most people typically see and hear. Writing in Guideposts magazine, Trudy explains how she first got into hospice care by helping her beloved father-in-law during his battle with pancreatic cancer. During his final days, her hospice nurses told Trudy that her compassionate approach would fit perfectly with their profession. Despite some worries, Trudy pursued the idea.

“I knew hospice was my calling because almost from the day I started, I met people who showed me just how thoroughly I had misunderstood death,” Trudy writes. “I came to understand the joy God has prepared for His children.”

Through her interactions with dying patients, she saw the grace that God extends to people at the end of their lives. Old wounds were healed. Profound feelings of love and peace overcame the dying. Family and friends were cherished like never before. By making people comfortable and being present with them in their last days, Trudy embraced the holiness of her work.

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An Inclusive Café

Maureen Stanko of Cedars, Pennsylvania, was worried about her son, Nick, who has autism. At age 20, he would soon be aging out of the educational system, and like many parents of children with disabilities, she wondered what would come next for him. Nick had so much to offer, but she knew that many people would have difficulty seeing past his challenges. Speaking to CBS News, she remembered what her father used to say: “When you have a problem, pray like hell, and then get up off your knees and do something about it.”

Maureen approached a local philanthropist with a radical idea: a restaurant that would employ people with disabilities. This led to the opening of So Much to Give Inclusive Café, where individuals with disabilities work as greeters, waiters, dishwashers—the full range of jobs. What’s more, the café has become a safe place for people with autism and other challenges to dine out.

Lauren Oppelts, who is hearing impaired, works at the café as both a hostess and a sign language teacher. She said, “I have grown so much self-confidence. A lot of these employees I’ve known since the very, very beginning, and the growth I see in them, it’s just mind-blowing.”

Maureen Stanko agrees. The café has become successful, and she is now looking to expand into other services to help people with disabilities contribute through their work and creative expression. Work is one of the ways that people, despite limitations and challenges, can make the world a better place.

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Art as a Labor of Love

Stained glass artist and sculptor Sylvia Nicolas moves lightly around her New Hampshire home and barn studio, belying her 92 years. She speaks energetically about her 60 years of religious projects, including statues, stained glass windows, and mosaics for monasteries, churches, convents, and colleges.

In an article about her for U.S. Catholic, Rev. Jerome Day, OSB, writes, “Her Catholic faith is not worn on her sleeve, but shines through in why she works, what she says, and how she acts. When she talks about the figures she depicts, she sounds as if she is describing old friends. It wouldn’t surprise her much if her saints pulled up a chair to her table or workbench.”

Nicolas’ work includes Old Testament scenes and thoughtful, larger-than-life sculptures of saints. Her St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Benedict statues are depicted gazing into the distance, pen in hand, mid-thought, as if the viewer caught them in a moment of quiet inspiration. Perfect sculptures for the colleges and universities that host her work.

Nicolas knows that her art connects with people in sacred spaces, so a prayerful approach in its creation is essential. She remains determined to connect with the hearts of people in the presence of her art—and to listen to the quiet voice that helps direct her labors.

As you go about your day and cross paths with people performing all different kinds of jobs, remind yourself that God sees value in their tasks and talents. Then, try to view them through that same lens. Also, remember to respect the work that you do, whatever it is. There is holiness inherent in doing any job well.