Third job and sunday work

[jlr247]

Hi, I just picked up a third job to pay bills, and I am starting to wonder if I should be working Sundays.

I’m a substitute teacher, and just finished my education degree in April. The job market for teachers is bad, so I will still be just a substitute in the fall. Cutbacks mean I will probably be getting less days this school year (it is really variable). I was only clearing about $1500 a month in May and June, and that was before the cuts.

I have been working part time for about two years at an interpretive centre (its like a museum, I greet people, do little office tasks, and do crafts with kids). This usually means I work one or two weekends a month, about 10:30 to 5:30. I don’t have to take any shifts I don’t want, but then less I volunteer for, the less shifts I get (its a casual basis). I still make it to mass on Sundays, but I don’t really get a day of rest. This place pays significantly less than teaching, but it is about $7 over minimum wage which is great.

I just got a new retail job, where I can have a decent number of part time hours on evenings and weekends if I want them. I don’t have to work Sundays here.This place pays just over minimum wage, however.

I am wondering if I should quit my interpretive centre job? I really don’t want to. I like the people I work with and I usually really enjoy my shifts there. Its not stressful at all, and not very difficult. I could ask to just work one or two saturdays a month instead of one or two weekends, but that make the difference of a couple hundred dollars.

I don’t know what to do. Its bothering me that I work Sundays, but I’m going to have to start paying back student loans in October, and my car that I depends on for teaching just had major flood damage.

Thanks for your help.

 

[animalis]

Considering what you have said, I think the bigger problem would be “how much money am I saving?” If you are capable of self-denial to the point that you can save more and more money this would be the gauge to discern with. For Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon (your desire to exchange with money).” (Mt 6:24)

If you are losing your peace, it is a good indication that God wants you to check your passions with money. St. Thomas Aquinas, considered by the vatican as one of the Church’s greatest teachers upholds the practice of the saved to the giving of ten percent of the income to the Church.

What is good in this is that you are not searing your life away from the mass. Our Church teaches this is the source of the Christian life. You take that away and your eternally dead.

Now back to self-denial, with self-denial or mortification you need a life of prayer for the peace of Jesus and Mary to reign in your work. Make a plan to say no to exchanging your money without reason. And study the passions to know more about what that reason is, the rational appetite against the sensible appetite. All in S. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica, First of the Second Part, q. 22-28.

S. Francis Xavier was a busy man who worked all day and prayed all night. God still gives that grace to people under the direction of a **holy **spiritual director. (Has to have a working knowledge of the holy) Considering his example, any soul that is saved can find the discipline to study for his own confession of faith to the world for one hour a day or night. And also prayer with Mary for an another hour. There will be a good fight inside with this when pursued. This is a good legitmate step to peace. St. Bernard says, when Mary leads a soul the soul cannot go wrong. This direction does not negate the need for a knowledgable spiritual director, but fulfills it.

 

[jlr247]

Considering what you have said, I think the bigger problem would be “how much money am I saving?” If you are capable of self-denial to the point that you can save more and more money this would be the gauge to discern with. For Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon (your desire to exchange with money).” (Mt 6:24)

If you are losing your peace, it is a good indication that God wants you to check your passions with money. St. Thomas Aquinas, considered by the vatican as one of the Church’s greatest teachers upholds the practice of the saved to the giving of ten percent of the income to the Church.

What is good in this is that you are not searing your life away from the mass. Our Church teaches this is the source of the Christian life. You take that away and your eternally dead.

Now back to self-denial, with self-denial or mortification you need a life of prayer for the peace of Jesus and Mary to reign in your work. Make a plan to say no to exchanging your money without reason. And study the passions to know more about what that reason is, the rational appetite against the sensible appetite. All in S. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica, First of the Second Part, q. 22-28.

S. Francis Xavier was a busy man who worked all day and prayed all night. God still gives that grace to people under the direction of a **holy **spiritual director. (Has to have a working knowledge of the holy) Considering his example, any soul that is saved can find the discipline to study for his own confession of faith to the world for one hour a day or night. And also prayer with Mary for an another hour. There will be a good fight inside with this when pursued. This is a good legitmate step to peace. St. Bernard says, when Mary leads a soul the soul cannot go wrong. This direction does not negate the need for a knowledgable spiritual director, but fulfills it.

I’m not sure what you mean by saving more and more money? Do you mean like, saving extra for next month, or cutting back on expenses? I never really have extra money for next month, and that is only going to get worse with student loans payments starting in October and with my need to probably have to buy a car in the next month before teaching starts again.

I already live in a place with cheap rent: I share a house with four of my friends. I don’t buy a whole lot of things (I’m the “cheap” friend you taking shopping if you want to get talked out of buying anything). The thing I probably spend the most on is going or coffee/lunches/suppers with friends a couple of times a week to get out of my sort of stressful home. I’m not sure where else I could cut money, and if I stay home all the time I get depressed (I’m currently seeing a counselor about this - for free through the province I live in).

Also, I don’t know if it counts as “servile” if I actually like what I’m doing and its not very difficult work. I’m currently looking for a spiritual director, but I’m having a hard time finding one in my diocese. Praying about this is difficult for me, because my prayer life has been terrible for months. I am really struggling with the problem of evil and suffering, and having a hard time wanting to pray. I really want to find a spiritual director because of this. So, sitting down to pray about this whole job situation…I don’t even know where to start. I sometimes feel like I should stop working sundays, and then other times I feel like maybe I’m being too scrupulous…I don’t know. I almost feel like I don’t know how to pray anymore or something. Aurgh. I feel terrible all around. And overwhelmed.

 

[animalis]

Icutting back on expenses?

yes

St. Paul said, “Be not seduced: Evil communications corrupt good manners.” (1 Cor 15:33) Love is to will the good of the other. If your friends put you in situtations when you have to spend your money, that is not good for you because you need it for terms of higher justice such as you had mentioned. The world can never be the soultion to what trouble us inside. “Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world, becometh an enemy of God.” (James 4:4) This does not mean you cannot take walks nor does it mean God punishes sins. Be a friend with Mary, the mother of God, and you can never go wrong. Start with the resoultion to talk to Mary heart to heart, then pray the rosary. Do small exchanges with her not to know her but to love her. She will bring knowledge preceeding your love for her. I say small because you want to do this constantly or else, according to the heavenly teachings of St. Louis de Montfort, it would not be true.

By the way when I spolke of ten percent of your income given to the church, I should of said ten percent of what you would spend on yourself.

 

[JM3]

Can. 1247 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass.

Moreover, they are to abstain from those works and affairs which hinder the worship to be rendered to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s day, or the suitable relaxation of mind and body.

CCC 347 Creation was fashioned with a view to the sabbath and therefore for the worship and adoration of God. Worship is inscribed in the order of creation.215 As the rule of St. Benedict says, nothing should take precedence over “the work of God”, that is, solemn worship.216 This indicates the right order of human concerns.

 

[Mintaka]

Notice to everybody: Educational jobs are not usually considered “servile work.” Nobody tells religious education teachers to stop teaching on Sunday.

Educating the ignorant is one of the Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy. (And yes, that includes secular as well as religious ignorance.) Doing works of mercy on Sunday is okey-doke with Jesus, as you may infer from His remarks about Sabbath-keeping.

Now, whether you want to do this or not, or whether you have the energy to do this or not – that’s another question. But if you are trying to save up money, and given this bad economy, it’s not a bad idea to keep working as much as possible.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

2184 Just as God "rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done,"121 human life has a rhythm of work and rest. The institution of the Lord’s Day helps everyone enjoy adequate rest and leisure to cultivate their familial, cultural, social, and religious lives.122

2185 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body.123 Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.

The charity of truth seeks holy leisure- the necessity of charity accepts just work.124

2186 Those Christians who have leisure should be mindful of their brethren who have the same needs and the same rights, yet cannot rest from work because of poverty and misery. Sunday is traditionally consecrated by Christian piety to good works and humble service of the sick, the infirm, and the elderly. Christians will also sanctify Sunday by devoting time and care to their families and relatives, often difficult to do on other days of the week. Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life.

Only you can discern whether your need to work on Sunday is necessary or not.

Jim