Short Homily – Thursday of the Second Week of Easter (2025)

Occasions: Workers' Day in South Africa & Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker
Theme: “Labour in the Light of the Resurrection”
Readings: Acts 5:27–33 | Psalm 34:2, 9, 17–18, 19–20 | Matthew 13:54–58 or John 3:31–36
Jubilee Year Focus: “Hope Does Not Disappoint” (Romans 5:5)

🌅 Today is a triple blessing:

We are in the joy of the Easter season,
we celebrate Workers’ Day in South Africa,
and we honour Saint Joseph the Worker—the silent, strong, faithful man who laboured with his hands to care for Jesus and Mary.

Work is not just about making money—it is a sacred calling to cooperate with God in sustaining life and creating dignity. Today, we thank God for every person who works, and we pray especially for those who are unemployed or underpaid.

🧱 Saint Joseph the Worker

Saint Joseph never spoke a word in Scripture, but his life preached a powerful homily.
He was a carpenter—an ordinary labourer. But in his hands, work became prayer, and in his quiet obedience, God’s will was fulfilled.

Today we remember: No job is too small when done with great love.
God is not looking for fame—He is looking for faithfulness.

📖 Gospel and First Reading Reflections

In John 3:31–36, Jesus reminds us that He speaks the words of God and gives the Spirit without measure. That means every Christian—teacher, cleaner, builder, parent, taxi driver—carries a full portion of God’s grace into their work.

In Acts 5, the apostles are told to stop preaching, but they respond:

“We must obey God rather than men.”
In our workplaces and society, we are called to work with integrity, justice, and truth—even when it’s unpopular or costly.

Psalm 34 reassures us:

“The Lord hears the cry of the poor and is close to the brokenhearted.”
God sees the sacrifices of workers, the struggles of the unemployed, and the hopes of every household.

✝️ Eucharist

In the Eucharist, we meet Christ—Body broken and given for the life of the world.
Just like our daily work, the Eucharist is about giving, nourishing, and healing.
We bring our labour, our dreams, and our struggles to the altar today—Jesus receives them all.

❓ Question for Reflection

How can I make my daily work—paid or unpaid—a prayer to God and a gift to others?

🛠️ Daily Practical Application

• Say a short prayer before you begin your work today.

• Offer a word of appreciation to a fellow worker.

• Look out for someone who feels forgotten or unimportant.

💔 If you are unemployed, underemployed, or exhausted—God sees your pain.

Saint Joseph also knew hardship and uncertainty. But he trusted quietly, worked faithfully, and loved deeply.
Hold on. Your work—your life—matters.

🕊️ What Can I Do During the Jubilee Year?

• Advocate for justice in the workplace.

• Support skills development or job creation efforts in your parish.

• Bring your work and your story to God each day—He cares.

🇿🇦 Workers’ Day in South Africa carries the weight of history and hope.

Let our nation never forget the struggle for workers’ rights and dignity.
Let the Church lead in celebrating the holiness of honest work and the urgent need for economic justice.

💬 Inspiration Quote

“Saint Joseph teaches us that dignity is not in the title you carry, but in the love you bring to your labour.”

🧭 As Pilgrims of Hope, we honour the carpenter from Nazareth, and we walk with those who carry tools, worries, hopes, and dreams. We believe that resurrection happens not only in church, but also in the sweat of a worker, the struggle of the jobless, and the hands that serve.

🙏 God of Work and Rest,

Through the example of Saint Joseph,
teach us to honour the work we do and the people who do it.
Bless the employed, the unemployed, and the overworked.
May justice and compassion shape our economy.
In this Jubilee Year,
help us to be Pilgrims of Hope—
working not for recognition, but for Your glory.
Amen. 🛠️🌿