If there is one misunderstanding that I can have, and I think others at times can share, is that Saints have spent much, if not all, of their lives at prayer in a monastery, eating only enough to stave off death and working at very tedious jobs.
St. Raymond Penafort, whose optional memorial we celebrate today, was a priest and professor of philosophy; but he was also a lawyer, this caused me to raise my eyebrows a little and look into what actually he did that eventually lead to his canonization.
St. Raymond lived in Spain in the 1200’s, were for a time he was a traveling minister, and eventually was asked to take a position of Archbishop, however, he declined because of poor health. But, it was the use of his legal and managerial abilities that were the most noteworthy. His means for organizing the regulations, issued by the pope, on matters of faith and morals (recognized as papal decrees) was the basis for what we know today as the code of canon law. He also wrote practical guidelines for the sacrament of reconciliation and revised the constitution for the Dominican order, which he was part of. As it turns out it was his passion for organizing, by God’s guidelines, which brought him recognition for his service to the Lord and His Church.
But, St Raymond is no different then ourselves. In order for him to direct his own life and others, along the guidelines of the Lord, he had to spend time with the Lord. St Raymond, and all the other saints, gives us an example to follow by always-taking time for prayer and worship whether their work is menial or monumental.