The Mystery of Work: Saints, Popes, Mystics, Seculars Reflect on Christ's Words: "Without Me You Can Do Nothing"

What this book teaches is a new way to regard work, and a new way to go about the work we do. The book comprises scores of mostly brief reflections by saints, mystics, popes, and theologians all who tell us that work—even toilsome work—has great dignity when accomplished as a form of service to God. The reflections in this book tell us that we should look upon the work we do, even the most ordinary of acts, as something that God has given us to do. And even more extraordinary, as something God wants to do with us. Once we think of work in this way, we then need to ask ourselves "how" we work. What becomes important is not what kind of work we do, but how we do it. We must also ask ourselves is God interested in these things we do all day long? Can these very ordinary acts realoly have a spiritual aspect? Can they be a prayer? The Benedicine monks have a motto, "To work is to pray." For most of us that thought has probably never occured, that work itself could be a prayer, that what we do all day long, whether at work or in the home, is of keen interest to God, and can be pleasing to Him if done in the right spirit. Jesus is the examplar of how any work is to be done. He spent thirty years of his life doing the ordinary kinds of things we do, and, as we know, the Father took delight in Him, saying, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." We must remember what Scripture says, that God's "delight is to be with the children of men." This book is designed to lead the reader into a way of working that will delight the Father. To this end, a Study Guide has been designed to help the reader approach the topic in a systematic way. This Guide is currently being used profitably in parishes for group book study. Many participants have exclaimed that the book has made them feel very differently about work, even about the most trivial tasks. The Study Guide may be freely downloaded from the Logos Institute website: http://logosinstitute.org