Live out the Gospel through the work you do

By Lara Pickford-Gordon

snrwriter.camsel@catholictt.org

Catholics share and participate in the priestly ministry of Christ through the work they do.

David Isidore, the feature speaker at The Catholic News’ second annual God @ Work Conference on June 27, said work is the “opportunity and playground to consecrate the world to God”.

He told attendees, “It doesn’t matter whatever you do. It doesn’t matter how big your position is, how small it is, it doesn’t matter if you have a job or if you’re still looking for it. The work that we do, it matters to God, we participate in that priestly mission because it is the sacrifice.”

Isidore, the Project Officer for Sustainable Development, Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development, delivered a talk on ‘The Theology of Work.’

He began his discussion reminding the audience that the baptised Catholic is called to “unity of life” in Christ as children of God, “…not called to be a Christian simply on Sunday, then a boss on Monday, then a friend at 2 p.m, and then a father at 6 p.m., and then a husband from 10 p.m.,” he stated.

“Unity of life” is received on Baptism and it unites the Catholic with Christ. Isidore disclosed that he was Protestant but baptised Catholic by the late Bishop Malcolm Galt CSSp. He said: “I made my home in Christ just like we all did, and Baptism changes our identity, it unites us to Christ so deeply that His life begins to shape ours. Although we spend our whole life growing into the identity, Christ has already placed a mark upon our souls.”

Baptised Catholics participate in the mission of Christ through the prophetic mission—evangelisation, and the priestly mission. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states the prophetic mission is to be witnesses to the truth. Isidore also referenced a document from Vatican II on the apostolic activities of lay people saying, “there are many persons who can hear the Gospel and recognise Christ only through the laity who live their life.”

The Gospel reaches people at work, home or in daily encounters, when people “live out the Gospel.” Isidore spoke of lay people participating in the priestly mission by offering their lives as spiritual sacrifices, done in union with Christ and through the Mass.

He quoted Lumen gentium (34): …For all their works, prayers and apostolic endeavours, their ordinary married and family life, their daily occupations, their physical and mental relaxation, if carried out in the Spirit, and even the hardships of life, if patiently borne—all these become “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…”

There are opportunities to consecrate spheres of life to God. “Our altar becomes the work, it becomes the desk we’re sitting at, it becomes the car we’re driving, the kitchen we are cooking in, it becomes the warehouse, the medical centre, that’s our altar because that’s the opportunity where we bring Christ down,” Isidore said.

He added that the Christian life will not be measured in titles and positions but in “how much Christ can be found in the work we leave behind.” Isidore also said the work was more than the individual because of the “ripple” effect on others.

Workers or students can sanctify their work by doing it well. He further stated: “We sanctify ourselves by growing the virtues and we sanctify others by showing the Christian values, one of those importantly is justice. Using our talents more beyond our job scope and making decisions that protect human dignity”.

Alluding to the inevitable difficulties everyone faced, he urged Catholics to walk with St Joseph and Our Lady whose guarantee is to help those seeking her intercession.

Fr Jesse Maingot OP celebrated the Mass to start the Conference. He discussed how a close connection with God energises the individual for work. Fr Maingot said: “If you don’t fix your mind on the God above, you’ll get stuck in the quagmire of the world and all its problems, all its worries, and have no energy, no life to deal with anything or transform to the world”.

Chairman of the Catholic Media Services Ltd (Camsel) Board, Peter Gillette gave opening remarks, and the welcome was presented by Camsel General Manager Kathryn Tardieu.

After the break, a panel discussion took place on ‘Leadership: Leading from within to Impact others as a Catholic’ with Rev Hilary Bengochea; owner/Managing Director of Dough Bomb Donuts, Chelsea Jardim; Chief Executive Officer PEAPSL Consultancy Ltd, Neil Parsanlal; and Corporate Relations Manager, Shell Trinidad and Country Chair for Shell in the English-speaking Caribbean, Candice Clarke-Salloum.

In the afternoon, there were breakout sessions on self-empowerment and wellness. Attendees of the conference were able to access Eucharistic Adoration and Confession, and the day concluded with Christian Meditation.