Liturgy ResourcesIncorporating the spirituality of work into liturgy is one of the best ways to help people understand and celebrate it. One way to do so is through preaching, as encouraged on the weekly pages. But there are some other creative ways to make the connection in liturgy.
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Lectionary and Roman Missal
The lectionary and Roman Missal include "Masses and Prayers For Various Needs and Occasions," one of which is "For the Blessing of Human Labor" (Lectionary #846-850; Sacramentary: Masses and Prayers for Various Needs #24). The lectionary offers multiple options for each reading and the sacramentary offers prayers focused on labor.
The readings for the feast of St. Joseph the Worker correspond with work (Lectionary #559).
We have also made connections to the Lectionary readings this September through October (see the weekly leader pages).
The readings for the feast of St. Joseph the Worker correspond with work (Lectionary #559).
We have also made connections to the Lectionary readings this September through October (see the weekly leader pages).
MUSIC
It’s rather challenging to find songs that correlate directly for this series, because few explicitly mention work. Here are some options that can be found at OCP.org, all with daily life discipleship implications, if not explicit "work" references:
- Life You’re Living (Jesse Manibusan)
- Lord, Lead the Way (Michael Avolicino)
- Go Make a Difference (Steve Angrisano)
- Prosper the Work of Our Hands (Tom Tomaszek, Tom Booth, ValLimar Jansen)
- Christ Has No Body Now but Yours (Steven C. Warner)
Clothing
Invite parishioners to come to Mass wearing the clothing they wear in their occupation: what they wear most in their Monday through Saturday ministry. This is a great way to help people connect their faith and worship with their work during the week. It is a way for everyone to bring their "work selves" with them to Mass.
In some years we have asked people to come to worship dressed as they dress for work. People can wear their uniforms or work clothes. In our congregation not too much changes because many of our members are business and professional people who dress essentially the same on Sunday as on Monday. In blue collar congregations, however, the work dress is much more interesting. [William E. Diehl, Ministry In Daily Life]
When making the invitation, be sensitive to those not in a traditional profession:
- Students: Wear your school uniform or any clothing identifying your school.
- Unemployed/seeking work: Wear either what you would wear in the job you are seeking or to an interview.
- Retired/homemaker/full-time parent: Wear whatever you wear in living out these roles. One could also wear clothing associated with a significant part-time role, either as paid work, volunteer work, or a hobby.
Work Symbols
Inviting members of your community to bring physical tools of their work is an opportunity for them to offer them for the mission of the Church. They may be displayed, processed up, and and/or blessed.
Roberta Longsworth, our first director of lay ministries, once suggested that we ask people to bring to worship a symbol of their daily work. During the period normally given to an offering, we asked people to come forward and lay their work symbols on a large table in front of the altar. In our congregation, we see a greater variety of work symbols than ways of dressing for work. People will bring laptop computers, pieces of chalk, stethoscopes, cellular phones, date books, carpentry tools, cake pans, and so forth. In the context of an offering during the worship service, the occupational symbols are effective. [William E. Diehl, Ministry In Daily Life] Depending on logistics and the size of your congregation, representative tools could be offered on behalf of the community, instead of asking everyone to bring their own. But ideally this will get everyone involved!
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Preparation of the Altar and the Gifts
The instruction for the Preparation of the Altar and the Gifts reads as follows:
It is desirable that the participation of the faithful be expressed by members of the congregation bringing up the bread and wine for the celebration of the eucharist or other gifts for the needs of the Church and the poor.
This makes it a natural time to bring forward work symbols, as described above. It is also a part of liturgy that talks about our work explicitly.
The gifts may be offered in a prayer similar to that of the bread and wine, such as this one used by a Methodist church:
The gifts may be offered in a prayer similar to that of the bread and wine, such as this one used by a Methodist church:
Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation;
through your goodness we have our time and skills to offer.
Fruit of our lives and experience.
They will become tools to be used for your glory.
Blessed be God for ever.
[Marjorie Dobson, Open with God, published by the West Yorkshire Synod of the Methodist Church, District Office, 19 Wentworth Court, Rastrick, Brighouse, West Yorkshire, hd6 3xd ]
Additional Prayers
Additional prayers may be offered, either directly for the assembly in support of their role in the world or for broader intentions. Consider how to address work-related intentions in the Prayers of the Faithful, especially for social justice.
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Creator God,
you worked to create the world and are still working for us today. Help us in our occupations to do a good job; to be moral, striving always to do the right thing; to reach out to and serve others; and to take the rest that we need. Help us to cooperate with your grace, growing as disciples who do the work that you need done in our world. Remind us that you are present in our places of work and that our work matters to you. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. |
Evangelization: Sharing Our Faith
Here are some ideas for using this work-related liturgies to share the faith:
- Be sure to take pictures so you can use them to promote the parish (on the website or in articles).
- Since this is an interesting idea that is not commonly used, use it as a way to promote the parish. Get an article in the diocesan or community newspaper.
- Since it is so daily life oriented, it is a good opportunity for parishioners to invite friends to liturgy, especially less engaged Catholics. They may be more willing to extend an invitation the following year after seeing how it works.
Variations
Liturgies honoring work can be done in many different ways and at different times of year. Here are some ideas:
- Labor Day weekend, or the Sunday before or after, is a natural time to honor work in the United States and Canada (where the letter "u" is added). However, because many travel over the Labor Day weekend, it can be a challenging time to celebrate it.
- The Feast of St. Joseph the Worker (May 1). This optional memorial has long been associated with work, and the assigned lectionary readings reflect that. Learn more about this feast here. International Worker's Day also falls on this day and is the equivalent holiday to Labor Day in many other countries.
Creator God, the Scriptures are full of your image as Builder and of your mandates to us when we would build. We ask your blessing this day on all who are builders and contractors by trade or profession. Inspire them with commitment to quality and safety, with a right care for their workers, and with the fortitude to make it through times of no work and little pay. Help them balance their many loyalties--to contracts, to customers, to workers, to suppliers, to laws, and to their own families and selves. May they know and find their ministries in the footsteps of the carpenter of Nazareth. In his name we pray, Amen.