01/05/2026
In his homily for the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker and Labor Day, Msgr. Rañada reflected on the dignity of work and the virtues embodied by Saint Joseph, highlighting how these remain relevant to every worker today.
“And Jesus did not work many mighty deeds then, because of their lack of faith,” Monsi began, recalling how people in Jesus’ time failed to recognize Him. “They saw only Jesus as ordinary, son of a carpenter, son of Mary, whose relatives they all knew.” He explained that people tend to diminish others because they cannot accept that someone among them could be greater.
Shifting to the celebration of the day, Monsi emphasized the significance of Saint Joseph: “Today we celebrate the memory of Saint Joseph, known as the carpenter, whom God has chosen to step forward and take responsibility for his beloved son, Jesus, the Word made flesh.” He described Joseph as “not a prince, not a member of the nobility, but a simple, ordinary man, a carpenter, a worker.”
Despite his simplicity, Saint Joseph stood for essential virtues: “Joseph stood for charity, honesty, humility, and fidelity—the good qualities of a man, whatever his state in life. And above all, he was a worker.”
Monsi stressed that work is part of God’s plan. “We are the co-operators of God for this world… This beautiful world will remain beautiful, and perhaps even more beautiful with our own contribution.” He reminded the faithful that work should always be rooted in love: “Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for men… do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
He further explained that workers serve others through their skills. “That is what a worker does. What he does, he does in charity… Helping us do what otherwise we cannot do.” Because of this, Monsi urged respect for all workers: “We should respect them. Love them. Because if they are not there, what can we do?”
Highlighting humility, he said: “Like Saint Joseph, he accepted his being grounded… We are not arrogant. We are not boastful.” Work, he added, is not something to be ashamed of but a means to live and serve.
Monsi also underscored honesty in labor. “If you are a worker… honest. Did you really work for eight hours? Or did you just text, cell phone, internet, Facebook—and then you will claim to have worked? That is not honest.” He encouraged both workers and employers to act justly and fairly.
On fidelity, he said: “If you are a worker, like Saint Joseph, you are faithful. You work even if there is no guard, even if your boss is not there… even if nobody is looking at him.” He shared his personal prayer that workers remain committed and responsible even without supervision.
Monsi also noted that work is not limited to formal employment. “We also have informal workers… Even if you are retired, you are still a worker.” Acts done at home—cleaning, cooking, caring—are also meaningful expressions of work and service.
He concluded by inviting everyone to follow the example of Saint Joseph: “With St. Joseph as our patron saint, may we be given the grace to be a person who quietly and with charity do our work with honesty, humility, and fidelity.”
“And so, we pray today,” Monsi ended, “St. Joseph, the Worker, pray for us.”
(Jun Magtagnob)
