Men's Rosary

Work. We all participate in it. We have jobs, professions, businesses; some are homemakers and some are students. Work permeates our very existence. All too often, people will introduce themselves as what they do for work. We are not our work; we are children of God created to become like Christ. We are not to be lazy, rather we are to work to sustain ourselves and others through our work. “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.” (Proverbs 6:6-8) Work should be an innate part of our nature but it should never define us.

I grew up with a strong focus on work ethic from my father. This permeated most all the men in our family. It was a “work makes the man” mentality. I subscribed to this most of my life. I have come to learn that this is incorrect. I take the approach that “the man makes the work worthwhile.” The character of the nman defines him and will decide the worthiness of the work. Our efforts in our work simply to supply a temporal need or worldly advancement is void of true worth. All work must be inclined to God. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) It is too easy to get caught up in our own plans and work to fuel our desires of the flesh. Work becomes mundane and simply a source of means to appease our appetites. But our work should be something that brings us closer to God and unites our will with his. “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” (Proverbs 16:3) How do we make this switch in thinking and make our work fruitful?

Our challenge is to become godly men, and this is the only thing that really matters. The extent to which we become godly will decide the kind of worker we will be. When we do this, we can then ask for God to grant his favor upon our work to make it successful and have lasting purpose. We can pray as Moses prayed, “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands.” (Psalm 90:17) To become godly we must study Scripture. It is God speaking to us and instructing us on how to form ourselves. And we must be men of prayer, asking for guidance and understanding of the Scripture. Time spent quietly listening is the key to seeing and understanding God’s will for our lives. It is the only way to unite our will to his. A godly man will trust when it does not make sense. This is a result of the relationship with God built through prayer. He will let God take the lead and follow. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) A godly man will make sacrifices, placing the needs of others above his needs and wants. It is not that he would neglect himself, rather, that he would not always have himself as priority. He takes care of others, loving as Christ loves. “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8)

In seeking and working on godliness we increase our sanctity. As we grow in godliness, we are more prone to sanctify our work. In the fruits of our labor, we see an opportunity to give thanks to God for all he has provided and use these fruits in the service of others. We see the bigger picture; it is not about us at all. God will show us where to place our successes in accordance with his will. In contrast, we will see the struggle, failures and demands of our work as a cross to embrace, a cross to run to and not way from, and give thanks to God for these as well. For it is through the struggle that we grow the most. We can unite our struggle to the Cross and offer our work to the Father.

I still believe in vigorous work and a strong work ethic. I have no appetite for sloth. However, I have changed my perspective. If we work on the man, the work will be blessed and lead to the Father. The sanctity, or godliness of the man, will make him a better disciple of Christ. In his work he can change the world for the better. When we carry God into our work, it has the power to transform us and those around us. So, I ask myself, how is my work reflecting Christ and how is it helping me to become closer to him and a better man. I see my work as a place where I can take God and my faith to others. It is an opportunity to increase the sanctity of my soul and the souls of others, and not so much to obtain the wealth and status that the world would dictate to be the measure of the success of work. “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36)  May we work hard, but let us work for the right purpose!

“Sanctity, for the vast majority of people, implies sanctifying their work, sanctifying themselves in it, and sanctifying others though it. Saint Joseph the worker, pray for us!” (St. Jose Maria Escriva)