Saints Who Help Us at Work: St Joan of Arc
With All Saints Day now behind us, let's follow up the great feast by continuing our series of Saints Who Help Us at Work. We turn now to St Joan of Arc. One of the Church's more remarkable saints, she led the army of the king of France as they fought to repel the English from their native land. While her military exploits - beginning as a 17-year old young woman leading men in battle - are incredible in themselves, it is her constant devotion to God throughout her brief time in the spotlight, as well as her courage in facing those who set out to destroy her, that impress us more. But how does she help us at work?
You might first think of her devotion to her cause: Her desire to free her nation from English domination. Despite the obstacles, which began with this 17 year old girl convincing seasoned soldiers to follow her into battle - especially when you consider the fact that the French army was rather dispirited and really had no desire themselves to pursue her cause. Frankly, each time I think of this it continues to astound and inspire.
What is your cause in business? Do you (or your company) express this as a "Mission Statement"? Do you have your own personal "mission statement"? It really doesn't matter how you express your cause, but you either have one or ought to have one. Maybe it's simply providing a decent living for your family, or as we've said in the past, to provide a modest security and sufficiency. Let's just go with that - provide a modest security and sufficiency.
Our current economy provides many challenges to this rather unassuming cause. For example, I've heard many young people express exasperation and even grow despondent when contemplating a marriage open to having children in accordance with God's will - i.e., not using contraception. The economics really do appear daunting, and, in fact, they can be. Not that it wasn't always tough to do this, but it really is especially hard now, even if you're willing to sacrifice, unless the working spouse or spouses make oodles of money, or you make a more modest living but reside in an area of the country where cost of living is extraordinarily cheap. And, of course, that's not something everyone can do.
But we might call on St Joan to help us here. We might meditate on her fortitude in the face of the enemy, even more so in the face of the false accusations she faced after her capture, and most of all in her facing the horrors of being burned alive at the stake, her ultimate destiny when the corrupt officials who put her on trial eventually condemned her to death. Her fortitude will more than likely provide some comfort and encouragement as you confront your own challenges. This has certainly been true in my case.
Mark Twain wrote what has been called the greatest biography of St Joan of Arc. He was an avowed agnostic, and no lover of organized religion. Considering this initial prejudice, his admiration and, yes, love for St Joan are remarkable. In the context of our discussion, here's what he had to say (my emphasis) about our saint's military exploits, her "moral greateness," and her long imprisonment, trial, and ultimately, her burning at the stake:
Do consider reading Mark Twain's wonderful biography Joan of Arc and do consider designating a patron saint for your business, your profession, or just simply your work life. I've designated St Joan as one of the patron saints of my business. We'll cover the other one in the next post.
You might first think of her devotion to her cause: Her desire to free her nation from English domination. Despite the obstacles, which began with this 17 year old girl convincing seasoned soldiers to follow her into battle - especially when you consider the fact that the French army was rather dispirited and really had no desire themselves to pursue her cause. Frankly, each time I think of this it continues to astound and inspire.
What is your cause in business? Do you (or your company) express this as a "Mission Statement"? Do you have your own personal "mission statement"? It really doesn't matter how you express your cause, but you either have one or ought to have one. Maybe it's simply providing a decent living for your family, or as we've said in the past, to provide a modest security and sufficiency. Let's just go with that - provide a modest security and sufficiency.
Our current economy provides many challenges to this rather unassuming cause. For example, I've heard many young people express exasperation and even grow despondent when contemplating a marriage open to having children in accordance with God's will - i.e., not using contraception. The economics really do appear daunting, and, in fact, they can be. Not that it wasn't always tough to do this, but it really is especially hard now, even if you're willing to sacrifice, unless the working spouse or spouses make oodles of money, or you make a more modest living but reside in an area of the country where cost of living is extraordinarily cheap. And, of course, that's not something everyone can do.
But we might call on St Joan to help us here. We might meditate on her fortitude in the face of the enemy, even more so in the face of the false accusations she faced after her capture, and most of all in her facing the horrors of being burned alive at the stake, her ultimate destiny when the corrupt officials who put her on trial eventually condemned her to death. Her fortitude will more than likely provide some comfort and encouragement as you confront your own challenges. This has certainly been true in my case.
Mark Twain wrote what has been called the greatest biography of St Joan of Arc. He was an avowed agnostic, and no lover of organized religion. Considering this initial prejudice, his admiration and, yes, love for St Joan are remarkable. In the context of our discussion, here's what he had to say (my emphasis) about our saint's military exploits, her "moral greateness," and her long imprisonment, trial, and ultimately, her burning at the stake:
Great as she was in so many ways, she was perhaps even greatest of all in the lofty things just named - her patient endurance, her steadfastness, her granite fortitude. We may not hope to easily find her mate and twin in these majestic qualities...Such qualities would serve any of us each day in our work as we strive to provide that modest security and sufficiency for our families.
Do consider reading Mark Twain's wonderful biography Joan of Arc and do consider designating a patron saint for your business, your profession, or just simply your work life. I've designated St Joan as one of the patron saints of my business. We'll cover the other one in the next post.
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