The Dignity of Labor - A Call to Excellence
Entrust your works to the Lord and your plans will succeed. (Proverbs 16:3)
Work is more than a means of earning a living, it is a way to express love. It is a participation in God's creative work and a path to holiness. The Prayer to St. Joseph the Worker offers a powerful framework for approaching work with the right Christian attitude: one of responsibility, atonement, magnanimity, humility, and, ultimately, love for God and neighbor.
Prayer to St Joseph the Worker
Glorious St. Joseph, example for all who are engaged in toil, pray with me please to obtain the grace that I may work in the Spirit of penance and so make atonement for my sins; that I may work conscientiously keeping devotion to duty before my personal feelings; that I may work with thankfulness and joy, holding it an honor to use and develop by labor the gifts I have received from the Almighty God, my Father.
Pray with me that I may obtain help to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience and never shirk duty because of weariness or because of difficulties encountered and that, before all else, I may work with a right intention and with detachment from self; keeping always in mind the hour of my death and the account I must give then for misused time, for neglected talents, for good not done, and for any foolish pride in my success- a fault so fatal to the work of God.
All for Jesus, all through Mary, all in imitation of you, Joseph most faithful! This shall be my motto in life and in death. Amen.
As outlined in the prayer a good Christian attitude toward work is “work with the spirit of penance…work conscientiously….” As a Christian, you always have to give your best at work because your work is an offering to God. This means that our daily work – whether small or significant – should be carried out with diligence, care, and intention. Work is not separate from our faith, it is an expression of it.
We need to have a sense of responsibility and carry out our work knowing that we are called to have “devotion to duty before personal feelings.” Taking breaks, seeking balance, and caring for our well-being are important, but we can’t abandon our responsibilities simply because we feel uncomfortable. We pause, we reset, and we return to our work with renewed focus. In doing so, we build discipline, resilience, and integrity — qualities that not only strengthen our professional lives but also our spiritual lives.
Another powerful aspect of the Christian approach to work is the idea of atonement. The challenges, frustrations, and difficulties we encounter at work are not meaningless. They can be offered up to God as acts of reparation for our own sins and for the sins of others. This perspective transforms suffering into something redemptive. A difficult colleague, a demanding workload, or an unexpected setback can all become offerings, united with Christ’s sacrifice.
It is important to discern with your Spiritual director so that you know what you should offer up and what you need to change.
Stretching Into God’s Call
Magnanimity is the proportionate use of one’s abilities to achieve excellence in virtue. It is stretching out of the soul to do greater things.
Magnanimity means we do not hide our talents or shrink ourselves out of fear or insecurity. We strive for excellence in our work, not for personal glory, but so our efforts reflect God’s goodness. It may look like speaking up in a meeting, taking initiative on a project, or pursuing opportunities for growth and leadership. It may also involve seeking support by working with a coach or mentor who can help us develop our skills and step confidently into our calling.
The opposite of magnanimity is pusillanimity, which according to St. Thomas Aquinas is “smallness of the soul." It is failure to pursue worthy goals in proportion to one's ability.
Pusillanimity is not true humility. While humility acknowledges dependence on God and gives glory to Him, pusillanimity hides behind humility and refuses responsibility. It says” "Who am I to do this?" — even when called by God.
Many women, especially in professional environments, can be tempted to “play small.” We will avoid visibility, doubt our abilities, or stay silent out of fear. Magnanimity calls us to rise above these feelings. You have been given unique gifts and talents, and you are called to use them. When you do, you not only grow personally and professionally, but you also become a witness to others.
As we pursue excellence, we must remain vigilant against pride. The subtle but dangerous temptation of pride occurs when we begin to attribute our success solely to our own efforts, forgetting that every gift, opportunity, and achievement ultimately comes from God. Pride isolates us, distorts our perspective, and shifts our focus away from service.
Humility is the antidote to pride. Humility does not mean thinking less of ourselves; it means seeing ourselves rightly as dependent on God and called to serve others. It means recognizing that our abilities are gifts to be used, not possessions to be glorified. When we work with humility, we remain grounded, grateful, and open to growth.
God’s Love at the Root
The ultimate purpose of our work is not success, recognition, or even personal fulfillment. It is to serve God and neighbor. This is the foundation of the dignity of labor. Our work becomes meaningful when it is rooted in love – love for God, expressed through our dedication and excellence, and love for others, expressed through the way our work benefits those around us.
Whether you are leading a team, managing a household, building a business, or contributing to your organization, your work matters. It has eternal value when offered to God. Every effort, every challenge, and every success can be part of your journey toward holiness.
As Catholic Women in Business, we are called to integrate our faith into every aspect of our lives, including our work. By embracing responsibility, offering our struggles in atonement, striving for magnanimity, and avoiding pride, we can transform our careers into paths of purpose and grace.
Let us look to St. Joseph, the faithful worker, as our model. He worked quietly, diligently, and faithfully, always in service of God and his family. May we imitate his example in our own lives, approaching our work with love, integrity, and devotion.
And may this be our prayer: to work well, to serve faithfully, and to live each day offering our labor to God both in life and in death. Amen.
Jacqueline Clovis is a certified life coach with a background in psychology and management. She empowers women and children to thrive through purpose, mindset, and well-being coaching all from a Catholic perspective. She is the Creator of the Thrive Model and 4 Steps to Align with God’s Design, she offers faith-based programs for women and parents. Follow her: @determinedtothrive_ and @shethriveswithpurpose.