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!”
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