Starting the New Year Off Right.
We begin 2016 with a suggestion on how to start the New Year off right: If you haven't already designated a
patron saint for your business, do it now. It doesn't matter whether you
own and/or run a business, or whether you're an employee. Having a patron saint will help you keep your focus on the real purpose of your work as a Catholic man: the greater glory of God.
If you're not sure which saint might be appropriate for your business, prayerfully consider the matter. To assist you in deciding which saint (or saints) might be best for you and your business, you might want to check this list we posted a while back that references various professions and saints that have been associated with them. If you need a little more help in discerning which saint or saints might be best for you and your work, you can check out two posts about specific saints, one for St. Ignatius Loyola, one for St. Joan of Arc. These happen to be the patron saints of my business. But there's nothing wrong with just choosing one of the saints from the traditional list. I just happen to have a special devotion to these two saints.
If you think it will help you choose your patron(s), you're welcome to read the entire pieces on St. Ignatius and St. Joan to get a flavor for why I chose each as co-patron. Here's a little sample from each post:
St Ignatius of Loyola
He carried an extraordinary work load administering the Order's affairs...St Ignatius conscientiously attended to his duties as manager and administrator. But the extraordinary demands of "running" his new religious order never diverted our saint from his spiritual discipline.
St Joan of Arc
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.
Sometimes I'll remember in the midst of a busy days work, or when facing a particular problem, to ask for their intercession. But mostly, when I remember, I simply say a short prayer asking for their intercession as I begin the day's work. There's no special prayer I use, and there's no mystery about the effectiveness of this practice. We're all members of the Body of Christ. Our saints are part of the Church Triumphant, those who have won their struggle against the world, the flesh, and the devil; we're the Church Militant, still engaged in our struggle. We call on them to help us and they do. It's that simple.
So start the New Year off right by calling on your patron saint. If you have a few minutes to spare, talk to them in your own words and share your thoughts and concerns. By their intercession, you will start the New Year off on the right foot.
We end our first post of the New Year with these thoughts from one of my patrons, St Ignatius of Loyola:
If you're not sure which saint might be appropriate for your business, prayerfully consider the matter. To assist you in deciding which saint (or saints) might be best for you and your business, you might want to check this list we posted a while back that references various professions and saints that have been associated with them. If you need a little more help in discerning which saint or saints might be best for you and your work, you can check out two posts about specific saints, one for St. Ignatius Loyola, one for St. Joan of Arc. These happen to be the patron saints of my business. But there's nothing wrong with just choosing one of the saints from the traditional list. I just happen to have a special devotion to these two saints.
If you think it will help you choose your patron(s), you're welcome to read the entire pieces on St. Ignatius and St. Joan to get a flavor for why I chose each as co-patron. Here's a little sample from each post:
St Ignatius of Loyola
He carried an extraordinary work load administering the Order's affairs...St Ignatius conscientiously attended to his duties as manager and administrator. But the extraordinary demands of "running" his new religious order never diverted our saint from his spiritual discipline.
St Joan of Arc
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.
Sometimes I'll remember in the midst of a busy days work, or when facing a particular problem, to ask for their intercession. But mostly, when I remember, I simply say a short prayer asking for their intercession as I begin the day's work. There's no special prayer I use, and there's no mystery about the effectiveness of this practice. We're all members of the Body of Christ. Our saints are part of the Church Triumphant, those who have won their struggle against the world, the flesh, and the devil; we're the Church Militant, still engaged in our struggle. We call on them to help us and they do. It's that simple.
So start the New Year off right by calling on your patron saint. If you have a few minutes to spare, talk to them in your own words and share your thoughts and concerns. By their intercession, you will start the New Year off on the right foot.
We end our first post of the New Year with these thoughts from one of my patrons, St Ignatius of Loyola:
“..it is typical of the evil spirit to instill remorse, sadness and difficulties, and to cause needless worry so as to prevent us from going forward; instead, it is typical of the good spirit to instill courage and energy, consolations and tears, inspirations and serenity, and to lessen and remove every difficulty so as to make us advance on the path of goodness.”With these words in mind, let's bound into the New Year with confidence and joy.
Happy New Year!
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