Is he not the carpenter’s son?

VENERDÌ 1 MAY (Mt 13,54-58)

What St. Paul announces to the Corinthians applies to St. Joseph: “Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord” (1Cor 1,26-31). After all, Joseph respects the family tradition. His Father David also was a humble person, for he was a flock Keeper: “He also had Jesse and his sons cleanse themselves and invited them to the sacrifice. As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is here before him.” But the Lord said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him before Samuel, who said, “The Lord has not chosen him.” Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any one of these.” Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”

Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.” Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance. The Lord said, “There-anoint him, for this is he!”” (1Sam 16,5-12). The Virgin Mary also is great for her humbleness: “And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my saviour. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name” (Lk 1,46-49). Jesus also humbled himself , annihilated himself until death by the cross: “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2,6-11). It is an honor for Jesus to be the son of a carpenter. Having a humble father, who always lives in the purest obedience to his Lord, is the highest nobility you could wish for.

He came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour except in his native place and in his own house.” And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

Greatness according to God and that according to the world do not coincide. Greatness according to the world is measured in power, in supremacy, in possession, in money and in vice. Instead, the one according to God is measured in humility, poverty, virtue, service and obedience to God and his laws. When one lives in the Law of the Lord – and Joseph lives in the highest obedience to his God – no work is vile, because it is always blessed by the Lord and enriched with many fruits by the Lord. Vile is that work which is carried out in dishonesty, injustice, transgression of the Law of God and sin. Vile is every work of man that causes, both spiritual and material damage to his brothers. All that is born of sin is vile, because it damages the justice of God and of men.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, make us be humble, meek and rich in every virtue before God.