The Labors of Joseph
“God desires that the world have a greater appreciation for the sufferings the heart of St. Joseph underwent in union with the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.”​​
― Fr. Donald Calloway / Consecration to St. Joseph
Regarding the inner religious experiences
Sister Mary Ephrem had with St. Joseph.
Trinitone
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With a firm and steadfast heart, St. Joseph displays a quiet and humble witness of faithfulness to God’s plan of Salvation through his Labors. These Labors reveal a “joyful suffering” united to the Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and to the Passion of our Lord, as well as the many difficulties and sacrifices that he would be invited to accept. While the Sorrows of Mary is meant to express the pain Mary experienced in her heart, the Labors of Joseph is meant to display the humble response given in silence to such pains. St. Joseph is the Helmsman of the Most Holy Vessel, who works in union with his wife, the Navigator, and God the Father, the Captain.
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Like an anchor through the storm, he will not be moved.
The First Labor
Father of the
Son of God
Before all the things Joseph would become, God made the man who was to be the father of His Son, Jesus. Joseph was given the duty, by God, to raise, educate, and give Jesus all the essentials to live. Joseph received an authority over Jesus that not even the Angels were ever given. He is the father on earth made to reflect the Father in Heaven. The lilies that grow from the staff blossom to reveal who Mary’s husband was meant to be, because they reveal the father of God’s Son.
Husband of the
Mother of God
The Second Labor
The purest husband loves his wife the way a devoted son loves his mother; the way a virtuous brother loves his sister; without expectation of reward, but with true sacrificial love. Joseph, the purest husband, loved Mary the way a devout and loving brother can closely, intimately, and intensely love and care for his dearest sister without desire for physical relations. The Santo Anello, the wedding ring of Mary, shelters the pierced heart of Mary because Joseph, the Virginal Husband, was ever present for Mary’s Joys and Sorrows to experience them with her, his most beloved Virginal Wife, the Spouse who belongs to the Holy Spirit.
Protector of the
Family of God
The Third Labor
Given the role of maintaining and protecting the Bread of Life, the Son of God, Joseph became the savior of the Savior. From the prevention of falling into the hands of Herod, until the hour of his own death, Joseph continuously prepared Jesus, Mary, and himself for his necessary absence from the Crucifixion the way all fathers are called to prepare a child for their life’s mission. To shield a child is not only to protect them in the moments we are present, but to prepare them for the times we will not be. When Jesus turned twelve, the Father began to prepare Joseph in this way, and Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.
Son of Virtuous Masculinity
The Forth Labor
The virtues of St. Joseph are that he is most loving, just, chaste, prudent, courageous, obedient and faithful. Equipped with the Grace of Valiant and Virtuous Masculinity from God, Joseph demonstrated obedience, for us to see, by stepping aside and giving up his life so that the Holy Spirit could walk with His bride down the aisle to the Marriage of their Son in His Crucifixion. St. Joseph is the Prince of the King, and so bears the torch of the Father’s virtues for us all to see and follow. He is the example of truly authentic manhood in every way, which then leads God’s daughters to their Virtuous Femininity.
The Fifth Labor
Devoted
Servant of God
St. Joseph is Holy, not of his own abilities, but because of his steadfast devotion to God. So devoted to his wife, that in learning of Mary’s miraculous pregnancy, he believed it was more possible that she could conceive without a man, then that she was able to sin against God and her betrothed. So devoted to God, that distancing himself quietly from Mary, to get out of God’s way, was his primary response. So devoted to his faith, that when given the title Son of David by the Angel, he graciously accepted his role and picked up the cross he was given. This Servant of God gives us the example of our need for Tradition to have true Devotion.
Humble Workman
of Nazareth
The Sixth Labor
In his little home of Nazareth, Joseph taught Jesus the proper way to work and rest. He showed Jesus in the physical world what the interior life of the spiritual world is and how to steer through it. A humble worker, involved in all his family duties, is a helmsman who knows the seas the ship is sailing. He is as sturdy and reliable as the ship’s anchor. Joseph carried out his daily tasks in the ordinary domestic life and took every moment he could to love and adore Jesus and Mary, his Crew and Navigator. The Devil greatly fears any man who patterns his fatherhood after St. Joseph and any disciple who patterns their faith life after his.
Consecrated Knight of the King and Queen of Heaven
The Seventh Labor
The coming of Christ was not done by chance. The Creator made His mother and descended in Spirit upon her, a Virgin, requiring that there must be a man for the care and safe keeping of His Spouse and Child. So likewise, the Creator made His father. A man made in the likeness of His own Virtuous Image. A Chaste Prince and Royal Knight of the King and Queen. A Slayer of Dragons. No one will ever love Jesus and His Mother more than St. Joseph, and no one will ever be more able to show you how to love God with all your heart, your soul, your mind, and all your strength.
Story behind the painting
While making the Sorrows of Mary painting, I had an idea for the Wounds of Jesus in my imagination, but I was not yet ready, spiritually or artistically, to make such a painting at that time. It seemed appropriate that I spend some time with Joseph; find how I could depict his Heart first and learn how I could accomplish painting the Heart of Jesus through the experience.
But what were there seven of anything for Joseph?
I took it to prayer and after some time there was one clear word that stood out above all; one going all the way back to the remedy for the first man… Labor. Already having somewhat of a relationship with Joseph, I attempted to identify what the Seven Labors of Joseph might be. I was able to think of a definite four and had two other less certain ideas. To really discover what a solid Seven Labors were, I was going to have to dig. I love digging, and the Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald Calloway was my soil. From the 10 Wonders that he wrote about, Seven Labors were identified. My consecration to St. Joseph took place during Advent/Christmas of 2023. Throughout the process, the image of the Heart of Joseph, Helmsman of the Most Holy Vessel, was designed and painted. Like my other Heart paintings, the Labors of Joseph is a painting of a prayer. It was painted with Holy watercolor, and finished with ink pen and gold oil paint. The painting was completed on the day of my consecration to our beloved Saint Joseph.