God’s Will for Your Life: An Exercise With St. Joseph, by Julia Wade

The Church celebrates the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1^st. While we know he was a skilled worker, a provider for the Holy Family, and a capable craftsman, working his trade to make his way as an immigrant in Egypt until he was free to return to Nazareth in safety, I marvel at how very little we know of St. Joseph’s actual life—his work included. What inspires me about St. Joseph on this particular feast day is his ability to utilize his skills to fulfill his vocation as protector of Mary and Jesus.

I have three small sons. Each day I read to them a variety of stories, but more often than not, the stories center on the theme of following your dreams. You can be whatever you want to be! Although I desire good, high-achieving, virtuous things for my sons, I find myself reflecting on how they might not become astronauts, given NASA’s acceptance rate of less than one percent of applicants, or presidents of the United States. (I hear that’s statistically unlikely, too.) Still, I believe and pray that their lives will have great impact and meaning, even in the seemingly quiet ordinary life. Sometimes God gives us unexpected paths to live out the core vocation of those grand dreams we held during our youth.  …