A Prayer to St. Joseph Before Work
Composed by Pope St. Pius X
Men,
It’s tempting to get comfortable in our job. To “live for the weekend” or just to show up, do the smallest amount to get by and grab the paycheck. There is some common sense about this in a way, after all you ARE essentially doing the work for a paycheck. However, work - whatever you may do, is not meant to be meaningless trudging to and fro. Work is not meant to be separate from our everyday life and it contains far more than just your day job.
Work, when properly viewed is an act of service and a small form of sacrifice to the Almighty. If your task at hand is to pick potatoes out of the ground, well why not do the best job you can of it?
He who labors as he prays lifts his heart to God with his hands
Saint Benedict of Nursia
Work is a duty and so is rest.
Saint Joseph, the man who provided for Christ worked with his hands and taught Jesus the trade of carpentry. Through this, he teaches us that working diligently for Christ and Our Mother is the highest calling of all men.
Let us learn from the model of St. Joseph and work happily, work faithfully and have the intention that you aren’t doing such work for your boss, you are doing your best for the Glory of God in sacrificial love.
Below is a prayer to Saint Joseph, asking for his intercession for a good and holy work day.
Get into a habit of praying it daily to start the grind on the right footing.
O Glorious Saint Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance for the expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations; to work with thankfulness and joy, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, never shrinking from weariness and trials; to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, keeping unceasingly before my eyes death and the account that I must give of time lost, talents unused, good omitted, and vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God.
All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thy example, O Patriarch, Saint Joseph. Such shall be my watch-word in life and in death. Amen.
– Composed by Pope St. Pius X