The month of March is traditionally the month of St. Joseph, and that is a key reason we landed on the theme “Work & Prayer.” As Catholics, we recognize that we have a lot to do to build up the Kingdom of God on earth, and St. Joseph is a perfect model for us to follow when faced with such a daunting task.

While no words spoken by St. Joseph were passed down to us, we know from Scripture that he was a “righteous man” and obedient to God’s will. Our traditions tell us that he worked hard and prayed hard. One thing I admire most about St. Joseph is his trust in the Lord. Although a descendant of King David, by worldly measures he was a small man with humble means. And yet, he accepted the monumental call to be the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus.

We associate Joseph with work because he was a carpenter and it is easy for us to imagine him working hard to provide for the Blessed Mother and the Christ Child in those mysterious hidden years. We also know that he must have been a prayerful man, chosen by God for such a unique role.  But when I think of the dynamic between work and prayer, I can’t help but think of the story from the Gospel of Luke when Jesus visited His friends Mary and Martha.

If you are anything like me, you see yourself in and sympathize with Martha. She is stressed out, trying to make everything perfect, while her sister simply sits quietly at the Lord’s feet. When Martha complains that Mary is not helping her and asks Jesus to intervene, He tells her that she is “worried and distracted by many things.” That’s me as well!

I often let the pressures of work and the anxieties of life affect my relationships, especially with the Lord. I know I should depend more on God and center my life around Him, but I find myself instead drifting from one concern to another and acting as if I need to control everything. In other words, I’m not balancing work and prayer well.

Martha and my problem is not that we are busy but rather uncentered, and perhaps, lacking in some of St. Joseph’s trust in the Lord. Martha’s sister Mary is focused and anchored in the “one thing necessary.” One suspects that even if she helped with the household tasks, she would not be “worried” and “distracted” by them but would offer them up to the Lord. In contrast, if Martha or I were sitting by the Lord, we would still be distracted and divided, thinking about all the things we need to get done.

When I am completely honest with myself, I realize I turn to prayer more when I’m desperate, almost as a last resort, even though I know everything I do should be rooted in prayer. I also realize that I worry too much and let concerns get the better of me instead of placing them at the foot of the Cross.

Lucky for me, we are just beginning Lent—a blessed time the Church gives us each year to look hard at our lives and get rid of distractions and whatever hinders our relationship with the Lord. It is a time to reflect on our need for God and realize we are not alone in the work we must do. God is working within us, as long as we remember to lean on Him. St. Joseph pray for us!