Remarkably Ordinary

Looking at some saints’ lives can be discouraging. Most of us aren’t going to be heroic martyrs or world-traveling missionaries. Most of us go to work, raise our families, and lead remarkably ordinary lives.

Good news: St. Joseph did the same. The saint honored as Spouse of the Mother of God, Protector of the Holy Church, and Terror of Demons was a poor Jewish workman.

 

In his homily, “In St. Joseph’s Workshop,” St. Josemaría Escrivá said that St. Joseph’s life “was simple, ordinary and normal, made up of years of the same work, of days—just one day after another—which were monotonous from a human point of view.”

St. Joseph’s holiness came through doing unglamorous work. It came through serving as a husband to Mary and father to Jesus. It came through completing his tasks whole-heartedly—not necessarily because he loved his work at every hour of every day, but because he loved that it was God’s will for him in the moment.

 

St. Josemaría Escrivá continued, “The ‘miracle’ which God asks of you is to persevere in your Christian and divine vocation, sanctifying each day’s work. . . God waits for you there.”

 

St. Joseph shows us that, when done with love and prayer, the work we do in our families and workplaces can be a path to sainthood. Jesus no doubt watched his earthly father at his workbench. Even today, the simple and hidden tasks that we do are not hidden from God.

Go to St. Joseph this year. He’s a quiet saint, a humble saint, a simple saint. But entrust yourself to his care and protection, as God entrusted Jesus and Mary. You’ll find St. Joseph is one powerful, spiritual father who will always protect you and lead you closer to Our Father in heaven.

 

Remember, O most pure spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, my sweet protector, St. Joseph, that no one has ever had recourse to thy protection or implored thy aid, without obtaining relief. Confiding in thy goodness, I come to thee, and humbly supplicate thee. Despise not my petitions, O foster-father of the Redeemer, but graciously hear them. Amen.