In the face of global pandemic, the day-to-day work of a parish employee may seem pointless. After all, what can one person or one church do in the face of so much suffering. The answer? Prayer. The act of responding to God in love is the one tool in our arsenal that is missing from many other organizations doing good work around the world. If our work does not begin, continue, and end with prayer, we are simply poorly trained social workers with very little to offer people in need. The mark of our work is prayer.
In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI wrote in the encyclical Deus Caritas Est, “It is time to reaffirm the importance of prayer in the face of the activism and the growing secularism of many Christians engaged in charitable work.” This is a poignant reminder for us today, especially since the joy of Easter is meant to fuel our desire to perform works of charity.
So, who can you call today from the parish family? Who needs to hear a friendly voice? Can we set aside our to-do lists and help others reach out to God in prayer? We can always begin anew right now and reaffirm our commitment to be people of prayer. The mark of our work is prayer!
