Our Best "Go-To Guys at Work - 2

We've been talking about our best "Go-To Guys" at work. Last time, we began with a description of individuals, male or female, whom we might consider Go-To Guys in the workplace. We then switched from the natural world to the supernatural and identified those we Catholics will recognize, beginning with our Guardian Angel and the patron saint or saints of our business.

To sum up, we all have Guardian Angels. We can and should acknowledge them and seek their help throughout the whole day, including during our work time. For our patron saints, these will naturally be more specific to each of us. Our interactions may also naturally be focused on our working hours. Not that we can't or don't pray to them in "off" hours, of course.

Having given specific examples based on my own personal experience, it's time to now switch to those saints whom we all share. We'll begin with the Top 2:

Our Blessed Mother

Mary is always with us, always interceding for us, dispensing God's grace to us as we need it. We Catholics should know this - at least in theory. Of course, theory needs to be combined with application, in our case, application at work. 

But first, let's ask ourselves if we are close to Mary as a rule. Sure we may say the rosary every day - a pretty basic Catholic devotion. But is she present to us as a real Mother? As with our earthly mothers, Mary our Mother cares for us; she loves us, and always has our safety and well-being in mind. So we can and should think of her in concrete terms, again, like a real Mother, in every way.

Remember too that during her time on earth, she worked each day to take care of St. Joseph and Our Lord. Has any mother worked harder, or had a greater responsibility for her family? So she knows all about a challenging work day and the succession of days spent working year after year. In this sense, her experience at work was much like our own.

Which brings us to her chaste spouse, Joseph.

St. Joseph

Every Catholic knows enough about St. Joseph to associate him with work. We recently honored him as "St. Joseph, Worker" on May 1st. If you feel you don't know enough about his intimate understanding of work, you don't know him at all. He serves as a supreme example for us Catholic men at work, not only as worker, but also as a husband and father. How could we not seek his assistance as we toil each day?

When it comes to "Go-To Guys" Our Lady and St. Joseph must be at the top of our list. 

Our "Saint-Friends"

This last category of "Go-To Guys" bears a name I apply to various saints I've grown to know and love over the years. With the guidance of good spiritual reading, direction, and God's grace, I try to think of these and treat them literally as friends. I greet them every morning. Depending on the particular saint, I spend a few moments soliciting their prayers, their advice, their practical help.

A simple way to develop this friendly, even intimate relationship would be to learn something about each saint. They all led interesting lives. Not just holy lives, but interesting lives. If you've ever read business books and bios of business "icons," but haven't read as much or more about saints, you're missing out. Given a choice, go with the saints. Do that and you'll eventually develop a little community of saints who will be "Go-To Guys" in your personal life and your business.

As your familiarity and intimacy grows, you may find you're never facing any difficulty or challenge alone. You'll never be without a sympathetic ear, as well as practical advice when needed.

During a recent rough patch at work, I asked one of my saint-friends for the specific grace of charity and cheerfulness towards my wife, so that she didn't have to endure any short-tempered responses or unkind words after a particularly tough day. I assure you that left to my own devices, I would likely have had to add a round or two of bad behavior to my list for my next confession. With my friend's help, it was almost miraculous how I not only restrained my ill temper, but skated very close to actually being cheerful. (If you react to comment this with a "What's the big deal about being cheerful?" you simply don't know me.)

So you get the point here, right? And if you haven't thought about all this before, if you haven't developed your supernatural "Got-To Guys" it's time to get on with it. You'll find it well worth the effort. They'll never fail you.

Happy Easter!