Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection May 01, 2026
Friday – Saint Joseph the Worker
01st May 2026 (Friday)
Psalter: Week 4
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Genesis 1:26-2:3
God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
Psalm 90:2, 3-4, 12-13, 14 and 16 R.(see 17b)
R/. Give success to the work of our hands, O Lord
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Day after day, may the Lord be blest. He bears our burdens; God is our Saviour
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Matthew 13:54-58
At that time: coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Friday – 4th Week of Easter
Main Point: Work is not a sign of a lack of something, and thus a necessity to make up for and gain what is lacking. Neither is it a burden which is forced upon us. Rather, it is part of our nature and an essential duty
1. 01 May is celebrated as May Day, the Day of Workers, in line with Saint Joseph, the worker. What can be one main lesson from this celebration? We should change our perspective toward work.
2. We must see the essential link between life and work. Life is a celebration of work. Life is meaningful and worth living to the extent that we work. Work is not to be considered a load, something resented or resisted, something avoided and escaped from, something unpleasant and burdensome.
3. It is to be celebrated. It is to be valued and respected. Every work is of value and honour. Therefore, there cannot be any discrimination or contempt based on the type of work. There cannot be any disparity between honourable and dishonourable, or between noble and low.
4. It is not the status of the work that decides the greatness of the person. Rather, the matter is how intense one’s commitment, how pure one is, and how far the work is beneficial. In fact, there is no strict difference between dignified work and low-level work.
5. Every work is sacred and divine because it is participation in the very work of God, who is an eternal, tireless worker. In and through our works, productive and transformative, we become collaborators and co-creators with God Himself. We become architects of the edifice of God’s kingdom.
6. Saint Joseph stands as a glowing example to this aspect of work, in his silence, docility, diligence and loyalty. He kept on working without seeking any self-recognition or reward. He was ever open to the direction of God. He was assiduous. He remained loyal unfailingly.
My Practice: We are called to shed off our layers of mediocrity and sloth and to deepen our enthusiasm and dedication.
