Stove Top Fire

Saint Zita

St. Zita was born into a poor but holy Christian family. Her older sister became a Cistercian nun and her uncle Graziano was a hermit whom the local people regarded as a saint.

Zita herself always tried to do God's will obediently whenever it was pointed out to her by her mother. At the age of twelve Zita became a housekeeper in the house of a rich weaver in Lucca, Italy, eight miles from her home at Monte Sagrati. As things turned out, she stayed with that family for the last forty-eight years of her life. She found time every day to attend Mass and to recite many prayers, as well as to carry out her household duties so perfectly that the other servants were jealous of her. Indeed, her work was part of her religion! She use to say: "a servant is not holy if she is not busy; lazy people of our position is fake holiness."

At first, her employers were upset by her generous gifts of food to the poor, but in time, they were completely won over by her patience and goodness and she became a very close friend. St. Zita was given a free reign over her working schedule and busied herself with visits to the sick and those in prison. Word spread rapidly in Lucca of her good deeds and the heavenly visions that appeared to her.

She was sought out by the important people, and at her death in 1278 the people acclaimed her as a saint.

She is the patroness of domestic workers.

My Work Ethic at Home

We arrived early to Mass yesterday morning and after saying my prayers I decided to open up the Missalette. I started in the back to see what prayers were inside and I immediately focused on the prayer to St. Joseph.

In my previous post I talked about needing help to get through my work week. Some of the things I need help with at work are: not getting frustrated or loosing my patience so easily with those I work with & some I don't, but in the world of workers comp it's sometimes hard to avoid. I also tend to be too particular about clutter, I can't handle working in even a semi-unorganized environment, it makes me crazy. Everything must be in its place!! Not everyone I work with feels the same way, so I find myself in a crazy state most of the time. Even so, I still have lots of fun at work. However, my work ethic (at work) is not lacking & never has.

Now as for my work ethic at home, that isn't always so great. When it comes to house work, I am a major procrastinator. Anything else that comes up is always more important than dishes, laundry, etc. Which is why this particular prayer stood out so much.

This prayer to St. Joseph is a powerful one, and I plan on posting it somewhere I will see it everyday.

Prayer for the Spirit of Work Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who pass their life in labor, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance to atone for my many sins; to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my own inclinations; to work with gratitude and joy, considering it an honor to use and develop by my labor the gifts I have received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, without ever recoiling before weariness or difficulties. Help me to work, above all, with purity of intention and with detachment from self, having always before my eyes the hour of death and the accounting which I must render of time lost, talents wasted, good omitted,and vain complacency in success, which is so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all after your example, O Patriarch Joseph! This shall be my watchword in life and in death.

What a work out!

One of my task's for this week was to seal the granite and today I finally did it. OK, so I've actually been meaning to get to it for about 3 months. I'm not even sure if the granite was sealed when we first got the house so I did 3 coats.

It took forever, and I didn't even make it to the island.

But now that it's done and the counters are polished, I'm so happy I finally sealed the granite. Everything looks so beautiful and it feels so much smoother.

Please keep in mind that I really REALLY don't like to clean, so that might have something to do with why it was such a workout.