Today May 1

Today is a new day, May Day, beloved of our Communist brothers and sisters, as well as their fellow travelers. And it is, of course, also the feast day of St. Joseph the Workman. As Dorothy Day said of Peter Maurin: "He felt very strongly that man had lost his philosophy of work; and that he was only thinking in terms of wages and hours. He felt that men should be thinking more in terms of the common good, and that they should think of work, not as something monotonous and to be put up with for the sake of attaining a salary, but something which made them share in God's plan." I think that we need to take a cold, hard look at ourselves in this regard. I am proud to say my husband is working in manufacturing -- and I think it's important to have a least SOME domestic manufacturing, else the countries that make all our durable goods can suddenly set terms for us that we will be compelled to accept, not having the ability to make anything for ourselves. So I think that's important.

And I have to look at myself. As a housewife, I sure don't produce anything -- except kids. And while the more hardlined economy-minded among us see them only as consumers, or even as burdens, I see them as assets, even solutions, to society and its problems. Who knows but that one (or more) of my four kids might not come up with a helpful invention or cure or theory? One that will convenience or treat or even cure someone -- possibly many someones -- in the future. Perhaps they will serve their fellowmen in humble or great and varied ways. I have no doubt they will ADD to and not subtract from the good of the world. And I am here to support both them and my husband. Somebody's got to. Why not me, who loves them more than anyone else on earth? Who pours love and not just time into their cooking, cleaning, mending, washing, transportation and education -- both religious and secular? But I admit I'm more of a "homework helper" than their full-time teacher. I value my authority in determining their education, but I'm also realistic. I as one person can never replace 7 others or so: math, science, reading, history teacher, music director, artist, coach, etc. And I know for a fact they can listen and absorb more from someone who is NOT their mother; there's just too much baggage there. I'm not really sure why this is so; I just know it is. So, no, I wouldn't homeschool on a bet. But I do advocate Catholic schools and when it was available I made great sacrifices to make sure they got in.

Which is a long way from St. Joseph, model and guide. Perhaps, (we don't know) he was a man of few words: the strong, silent type. In any case, he was strong; of that there can be no doubt. Have you ever done carpentry entirely by hand, with no power tools of any kind? (My grandfather did. He built his entire house from the ground up with no power tools at all. He made beautiful cabinets, too.) You have to be strong. And in Joseph's particular situation he had to be morally strong as well. I mean, c'mon, being married to the sweetest, most beautiful woman on earth and you're not allowed to touch her? That's real strength! Dear St. Joseph, the wise and the strong, pray for us -- and all laborers -- this day. Amen.