I loaded up my mare and hit the road before dawn with my dog, Guapo (his name means Good-looking in Spanish), in the cab next to me. It had been a while since I helped work cattle. Today’s job would take me to the Lazy J. We’d wrap up by Noon and a grilled steak would be our payment.
            Guapo could hardly wait.
            In this part of the country, when branding day rolls around, everyone’s a cowpoke. Working cattle requires teamwork, humility and a good sense of humor. This alone is reason to volunteer my time, along with my horse. In addition to the comradery, working alongside regular folks is an important part of pastoral ministry.
            What better way to weave God’s story into the story of your town? The Lord’s own preaching was full of examples drawn from dock work, house work, farm work and kitchen work.
            I’d rather teach like the Carpenter than a college professor.  
            Some years ago, while serving in a suburban parish, I instituted a “Take your Pastor to Work” program. It was among the most rewarding ventures of my priesthood. I got to ride in garbage trucks, ambulances and med-evac helicopters. I spent afternoons in candy shops, detention centers and pathology labs. Mainly, I learned how much pride my people took in their day-to-day work. There, before my eyes, were disciples decked out in plumbing uniforms, welding helmets, aprons, smocks, flak vests and steel-toed boots. Clearly, they served as leaven in the dough of God’s Kingdom.
            In the 1940’s, a movement called “Worker Priests” was started in France. It involved priests taking on fulltime secular jobs with the purpose of connecting the Church more closely with the working class. Unfortunately, it became more political than pastoral and Rome discontinued the program in the 1950’s.        Personally, I’ve always admired the worker priests. Shouldering “the daily grind” on a daily basis would entail a lot more dedication than occasional job shadowing.
            The experience of sharing work with my parishioners has enriched me as much as reading the Bible. From the days of sacrificing livestock in the Jerusalem Temple to working cattle on a Texas ranch, God’s people have been commanded to offer a portion of the fruit of their work to God.
            It’s a hands-on way to bless the Lord. And it becomes the Lord’s "hourly wage" of blessing us.