JMJ

Many years ago Catholic school children wrote the letters JMJ on the headings of their assignments and tests. That may seem archaic now but in reality it was a charming and useful reminder that every good effort could be a form of devotion to Jesus and his Holy Family. What a great reminder for all of us as we work in the vocations and careers we have chosen.

What if your accountant wrote JMJ on your tax return, or your attorney inked it on your last will and testament? What if it was on your paycheck or the bill from your mechanic? Would you write it on your church envelope when you tithe? Would you like to see it on a medical report or even a police report? You see, the idea is to remember and recognize Jesus, Mary and Joseph and offer them your best. You need to see the holiness of your work and how it contributes to the common good in even the smallest way. Regardless of your station in life or level of skill, you can look beyond the task you are performing and see how it connects to all that promotes what is good, worthy and sacred in our existence. Teaching kids the JMJ acronym is a way to reinforce that a good deed is never wasted when it promotes the Kingdom of God.

This year at Saint Joseph's School we embroidered the bold red letters JMJ on the right sleeves of our baseball uniforms and taught the athletes about the significance of bringing the Holy Family to the ballgame with them. It may not be a "call the Vatican" miracle but we did have our first winning season in eleven years! Hmmmmm......?