Diario Extra – San José inspires our actions

Bishop José Rafael Quirós

In the midst of the serious health situation caused by the pandemic, in addition to so many social ills that cause anguish and uncertainty in the public, the figure of San José Obrero stands out in style as that hardworking man who, in simplicity and silence , faced great problems and responded wisely to the challenges that were presented to him.

As Pope Francis teaches us: “In our current age, in which work seems to have once again represented an urgent social issue and unemployment sometimes reaches impressive levels… it is necessary, with a renewed consciousness, to understand the meaning of work gives dignity and of which our saint is an exemplary patron. A family without work is more exposed to difficulties, tensions, fractures and even the desperate and exasperating temptation of dissolution. How could we speak of human dignity without committing ourselves so that each and everyone has the possibility of a dignified livelihood? ” (Pope Francis, Patris Corde ”N ° 6).

Therefore, with confidence and filial devotion, today we ask Saint Joseph the Worker to intercede for all workers and their families, particularly at decisive moments for our country due to the absence of economic reactivation, the insufficient political response to the great challenges of the poverty and anguish of many unemployed fathers and mothers. We ask the “holy carpenter” to intercede before the Lord for those who do not have a decent job. I believe that the unemployment figures should lead to the search for viable solutions, putting aside all selfishness, ambition to hoard more wealth and thinking about the common good. Social justice is the way to go, and forget about what is simply electoral.

In order to that justice, I highlight the Christian testimony of many health workers, who day by day risk their own lives in favor of the entire population. The testimony of educators, law enforcement officials, garbage collectors, servers in homes for the elderly, vegetable sellers who go from house to house, field workers, among others.

I cannot fail to mention the priests and the diocesan and parish social ministry, who have multiplied to bring food, company and other services to those most in need.

In the spirit of cooperativism and in other expressions, the social solidarity economy opens a window of hope for many small producers, unemployed, entrepreneurs, women who need to join the world of work, and others, who find in the union, the strength for business development and family well-being. We must not be afraid of solidarity, on the contrary, we must “Globalize solidarity (which) today means thinking about the vertiginous increase of the unemployed, the incessant tears of the poor, the need to resume a development that is a true integral progress of the person who certainly needs an income ”(Pope Francis, Address to the Italian confederation of cooperatives, February 28, 2015).

Let us invoke the intercession of Saint Joseph the Worker, a just and hardworking man, so that we can find the right paths for an effective and just economic reactivation, with a truly human face, where solidarity and equity shine as fundamental engines. May the hard-working and persevering José intercede for us so that like him we never lose hope.

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