The name ‘Joseph’ means ‘increase’ and the first reading underscores this concept in God’s command to humankind – “increase and multiply”. While this can be viewed from different perspectives, the Church gives us this reading on the feast of St. Joseph the Worker to highlight Joseph’s role in the plan of God. He was chosen to guide and protect the New Adam – Jesus – and the New Eve – Mary. His altruism underlines his mentality of allowing God’s plans to ‘increase’ over his own plans.

But not everyone is able to fathom this as is seen in today’s Gospel passage. Rather than furthering the plan of God, the people of Jesus’ hometown actually become stumbling blocks to Jesus’ ministry and close the doors on God’s offer of salvation to them through Jesus.

The feast of St. Joseph the Worker, instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1955, is a reminder that each of us can – like St. Joseph – contribute greatly to God’s plans through the simple, everyday, mundane things we do if God’s plans take priority over our plans.