How Should We Feel at The End of Our Day?

Let's look at how we should feel at the end of a typical work day. It doesn't matter if the day was deadly dull or especially exciting. Either way, we began with the right intentions: to attend to our duties diligently; to perform each task with exactness and fervor. Nothing less will do if we're really serious about working for the greater glory of God. 

In my own work, days aren't usually deadly dull. But many days find me performing tasks that are repetitive but absolutely necessary. Approaching these diligently isn't that difficult. Since I run my own business, I know that there's no way I can ignore them or dilly-dally in getting them done. The business won't work if don't tackle things in a timely manner, when they're "essentials." So rolling up my sleeves and diving in comes naturally, no special thought or motivation needed.

Performing each and every one of these with exactness and fervor is another story. A good example is bookkeeping. It's not a favorite of mine. Nor is it my cup of tea.

When I first began my business, I knew my strengths and weaknesses. But I really didn't want to let my weaknesses undermine my chance at getting the business up and running. Given my background and education, I knew bookkeeping would be a tough nut to crack. I also knew that sloppy bookkeeping would eventually and inevitably create a whole list of problems for the business. So I took a deep breath (a whole lot of deep breaths actually) and read up on what basics I needed to master. With someone's help, I found a good system to use that fit my particular business. 

Frankly, it took longer than I'd initially thought it would. But the wait was worth it. Now I attend to it once a week, as part of my weekly Business Review. The procedure I follow is written out and included in our Operations Manual. I follow it exactly. I even manage to approach it with fervor. My business will be well-served. More important than that, my fervor will please God - the ultimate object of my desire to do my best day.

Now spread this over all the tasks I have on any given day. With God's grace, and the help of my Guardian Angel and the patron saints of my business, I might manage to address each and every task with fervor and exactness. It's not something I find easy, depending on the task. But the harder it is, I know the more supernatural merit will be gained. On a good day, I'll remember this and act accordingly.

While I do try to examine my conscience each day, and my performance at work may come up there, there's another simpler way to know if I've attended to the duties of my work day thoroughly, with fervor and exactness. Here's a good description of that simpler way, as told by Father William Doyle. It perfectly describes how we all should feel when we have put our all into our work, for the greater glory of God. 

How sweet it is when our day is ended to find the body tired, the head heavy and jaded with work done for Jesus. The day has been a long one, bearing to us more than its share of disagreeable duties and unpleasant tasks; unexpected troubles have met us … but through it all we have unflinchingly plodded on, doing the Master’s work for love of Him.

This perfectly describes a good feeling at the end of good day's work. While I don't rely on feelings to either start or end the day, this particular feeling tells me something about how the day went. In fact, if I don't get something akin to that feeling, it's likely my work has been less than satisfactory. Fortunately, that hardly happens anymore.

The only thing left at the end of the day, "the body tired, the head heavy and jaded" would be to thank God - and thank Him profusely - for giving me this holy burden to carry throughout this day and every day, "for love of Him."

And thank you Father Willie for having written these most helpful words!

Happy Easter!