St. Joseph the Worker

Dear Parishioners of SJW:

Welcome to October, our Respect Life month!  This is a special time to focus on that magnificent gift God has given each of us---LIFE.  It is all too easy at times to not even be aware of each breath we take, each day we have.  Our God is gracious and loving.  Let us use our life to give Him thanks!

How do we respond to life in our midst?  Are we truly pro-life?  Abortion, capital punishment, nuclear war, poverty, euthanasia, the environment, homelessness, crime, etc., should be on our radar as human beings living in this God-given world.  We should pray diligently that people will see that life is given to us to enjoy and appreciate, not to abuse, kill, disregard, or anything of the sort.

To be PRO-LIFE takes guts.  To stand up for LIFE takes courage.  In this day and age, we see people taking a stand who think abortion is a right, and many times their stand involves destruction of property, threats, and non-life-giving activities.  For us to still promote life with the “threat” of retaliation is not easy.  But, the Lord never said it would be an easy task to be His disciple. 

Jesus came to give LIFE.  He healed life that was injured or maimed.  He brought life to countless sinners whose souls were dead.  He enhanced life by calling people to see the dignity and worth of those looked down upon in His day—women, children, prostitutes, tax collectors, to name a few.  He gave life back to the young man at Nain, to Lazarus, and others.  LIFE was what Jesus gave HIS very life for—our eternal life in heaven.

May each day of this month increase our gratitude for LIFE.  May each day of this month draw us closer to Jesus, the Bread of LIFE.  May each day of this month deepen our awareness of the LIFE we have and the value of each LIFE around us.

Your Pastor, Father Joe