Vatican
City, 1 May 2013 (VIS) – The importance
of work and contemplating Jesus, following
Joseph and Mary's example, were the central themes of the Pope's
first catechesis in the month of May, which coincided with the feast
of St. Joseph the Worker.
Before
the more than 70,000 persons gathered in St. Peter's Square for the
general audience, the Pope explained that Jesus “enters into our
history, comes among us, born of Mary by an act of God, but with the
presence of St. Joseph, his legal father who cares for him and also
teaches him his work … the trade of carpentry in his workshop in
Nazareth, sharing with him the commitment, the fatigue, the
satisfaction, and also the difficulties of every day. This reminds us
of the dignity and importance of labour. The Book of Genesis narrates
that God created man and woman, entrusting to them the task of
filling and subduing the earth, which did not mean exploiting it but
cultivating and safeguarding it, caring for it with their very
labour.”
“Labour
is part of God's plan of love. We are called to cultivate and
safeguard all the goods of creation and, in this way, we participate
in the act of creation! Labour is a fundamental element for the
dignity of a person. … It makes us like God, who laboured and
labours, who always acts. He gives us the capacity to maintain
ourselves, our family, to contribute to the growth of our own
nations. Here,” the pontiff added, “I am thinking of the
difficulties that, in various countries, the world of labour and
business encounters today. I am think of how many, and not just young
persons, are unemployed,often because of an economistic conception of
society that seeks selfish profit, outside the parameters of social
justice.”
“I
would like to invite all to solidarity, and encourage those
responsible for public affairs to make
every effort to give new impetus to employment. This means having
care for the dignity of the person. Mostly I would like to say not to
lose hope. Even St. Joseph had difficult moments, but he never lost
trust and he knew how to overcome them with the certainty that God
does not abandon us. “
After
that exhortation, the Bishop of Rome referenced another troubling
situation, “slave labour”, work that enslaves. “How many
persons around the world are victims of this type of slavery in which
the person is at the service of labour while it should be labour that
offers service to the person so that they might have dignity. I ask
our brothers and sisters in the faith and all men and women of good
will to make a decisive choice against the trafficking of persons
within which 'slave labour' figures.”
The
Pope then touched upon the second theme of his catechesis, Jesus, who
was Joseph and Mary's shared centre of attention in the silence of
their everyday actions. The attitude of both is revealed in how the
Virgin, as St. Luke narrates in his Gospel, “kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.” “In order to listen to the
Lord, we need to learn how to contemplate him, to perceive his
constant presence in our lives. We need to stop and dialogue with
him, give him space with our prayer. … Let us remember the Lord
more during our days!”
During
this month of May, I would like to recall the important and the
beauty of praying the Holy Rosary,” Francis continued,
“contemplating the mysteries of Jesus, reflecting, that is, on the
central moments of his life, so that, as
for Mary and St. Joseph, He may be the centre of our thoughts, of our
concerns, and of our actions. It would be beautiful if, above all
during this month of May, we would recite together in our families,
with our friends, and in our parishes, the Holy Rosary or some prayer
to Jesus and the Virgin Mary. Praying together is a precious moment
for making our family life and our friendship more steadfast! Let us
learn to pray more in our families and as a family!”
“Let
us ask St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary,” the Holy Father concluded,
“to teach us to be faithful to our everyday commitments, to live
our faith in our everyday actions, and to give more space to the Lord
in our lives, to stop and contemplate his face.”
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