Posted by The WORD in Other Words by Fr John Cruz SVD (Philippines) for Saturday 4th Week of Easter
It is not unusual for children to follow in the footsteps of their parents. We have in society whole families of doctors, teachers, engineers, and so forth. From a young age, kids are inadvertently exposed at home in an environment heavily influenced by the adults. Disney’s movie Coco shows a boy discouraged from singing and is expected to become a shoe maker, which is the family business. Like parent, like child.
Nothing could be truer than in today’s gospel. Jesus also followed in the trade of his father, and by doing so, showed that Joseph was really known as a solid craftsman“…isn’t he the son of the Carpenter?”We are primarily known through our parents, and later on, our parents are made known through us.
My father was a civil engineer, so it was no surprise that I followed in his footsteps. In school, even if I failed other subjects, it was important to my dad for me to have good grades in math and science. However, the ever-mysterious vocation to the priesthood came calling, and even with great hesitation, I answered the call.
Jesus, who was a carpenter like his earthly father, had shifted into being a Teacher calling a small group of fishermen to proclaim the Good News: the coming of God’s kingdom. In the end, no matter what careers we have and who our earthly fathers are, we are all God’s children. And we share in God’s work by being good witnesses to the divine Word’s goodness – loving and forgiving one other, following the will of the Father.
– Fr. John Cruz, SVD (USC, Cebu City)
Source – The WORD in Other Words, Bible Diary 2020
