THE TEKTON'S SON

 

                                                                                             Freepik

The Tekton’s Son

In Nazareth’s hush at break of day,
Where wood and stone and shavings lay,
A patient man with gentle tone
Taught God-made-flesh to shape the stone.

Saint Joseph, worker, strong and true,
Gave all he had, all that he knew,
The craft of tekton, skill refined -
A builder’s art, both hand and mind.

The saw would sing, the hammer fall,
A measured line, a steady call,
While Christ, the Word by Whom all grew,
Learned earthly work as children do.

He watched the grain, the stone, the seam,
He laboured long in sun’s bright beam,
By sweat of brow and aching limb,
Creation’s Lord learned work from him.

O wondrous sight the ages tell;
The Source of all in workshop dwell,
Receiving from a father’s care,
The humble trades that men must bear.

Joseph taught with quiet grace,
No pride to cloud his weathered face,
But love that formed in hidden years
The Saviour’s path through toil and tears.

So too are we by God assigned
Our works of heart, of hand, of mind,
Through changing days, through shifting call,
One path, then more - God orders all.

In youth we build, in age we guide,
In strength we strive, in frail abide.
Yet each vocation, great or small,
Is holy when we give our all.

Let us then walk as Christ has shown,
Who shaped the wood, who hewed the stone,
Then taught as Rabbi, healed, forgave,
And gave His life the world to save.

With Joseph’s love let us be true,
In faithful work whate’er we do,
And mark with prayer and hearts made bright
His feast upon May's first light.

O blessed worker, guard our way,
Teach us to labour, watch, and pray,
Till all our work on earth is done,
And we behold the Father’s Son.