St. Joseph the Worker: Work, Art, and Leisure

Happy Feast of St. Joseph the Worker!

There could not be a better example for us than Joseph to show the goodness of work when ordered towards Jesus and Mary. Everyone knows that Joseph was a carpenter of sorts, but more than this, he is the greatest worker in history. He worked for 30 years at the service of Jesus. Quiet and strong, Joseph dedicated his entire self to Jesus’ hidden years for no earthly return, only the joy, love, and peace of sincerely giving his best to Jesus and his Blessed wife.

May 1st has long been a day promoting the good of work, but since 1955 the Church has encouraged us to follow St. Joseph’s perfect example.

What is Work For?

Work allows us to live out our dignity, made in the image and likeness of God.

Only God can create something from nothing – as in the world, both physical and spiritual. Being made in God’s image we are blessed to be able to co-create with God to use materials that He created from nothing, and to form them into works of their own.

Work is our participation in God’s divine Will in so much as he allows and we do not get in the way.

Work of Man is Distinctly Human

While animals can “work” for their food and livelihood the way a bird looks for worms or horses will pull carriages and hop fences when well trained, the work of humans goes beyond sustenance.

While I admit, it is easy to see a job as a means to a paycheck to provide for my livelihood, it would be a sad waste to stay in that mindset. This perspective would lower our dignity. Instead, we should pray through and sanctify our work. We go beyond the mere production of goods or service of a state, but instead we glorify God through the gifts and talents that he gave us!

Misconception of Work

My grandfather was a carpenter and ran his own business. He worked and worked hard. This trait has been passed down to my dad, who works harder than anyone else I know. However, even my grandfather found time in the midst of his work to buy a beautiful baby grand piano and take some lessons later in his life.

Did he believe that he would make a new career as a pianist? I doubt it; so what would motivate such a hard worker to get piano lessons?

Work is for Leisure

There is a misconception that working hard alone is the good. Some people work hard so that they can have wealth, others just for the pride of being exhausted. American workers take pride in their long hours in the office, with early mornings and late nights.

I have even fallen into the trap of saying “pretty tired” when people asked me how I was doing. When I ask about my friends and family, rather than inquiring about what they have created lately, I catch myself asking, “Stayin’ busy?” as if that is a measure of well-being.

Instead of prioritizing work first, we should be rightly ordered and recognize what work is for, leisure. And the ultimate leisure according to St. John Vianney was to be in the presence of God. St. Joseph did this best, being present to Jesus in work, art, and leisure.

This video clip from Love Good puts it clearly, we work so we can leisure, or re-create.

Work of Art

“It sounds like a truism to say that the most primitive man drew a picture of a

monkey, and that it sounds like a joke to say that the most intelligent monkey

drew a picture of a man. Something of division and disproportion has appeared;

and it is unique. Art is the signature of man.

G. K. Chesterton in The Everlasting Man

Chesterton, in his book The Everlasting Man, he describes art as the signature of man. This co-creating with God, that is art, is the overarching expression of good work and leisure combined. Art can be a hobby, I guess, and it can be very leisurely to create art; but, who is to say that our work can’t be art.

It is easy to see how a carpenter like St. Joseph can work with is art and make art his work. As an engineer, can I make my calculation an art? Can I glorify God in the clear, concise, and beautiful use of math to determine truths?

This seamless transition between work that co-creates art and art that brings leisure is an ideal, a goal to strive for. This was the life of St. Joseph: work, art, and leisure.

St. Joseph, Model of Workmen, Pray for Us.

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I have a lot of thoughts that just came to me, so expect a follow up to this post very soon. For the sake of posting on the feast day, I’ll wrap it up!