Welcome back to The Lord at Work.
It’s Monday. The coffee is brewing, the inbox is multiplying, and somewhere a meeting labeled “quick check-in” has invited 14 people and booked an hour. (I’ll probably see you there.)
Whether you work in an office, on a jobsite, in a hospital, or behind a counter, you know this much: a tiny misunderstanding can become a huge workplace problem…and it can happen really quickly.
That missed handoff. An impatient customer. A colleague who speaks to everyone like they’re already three deadlines behind. Before long, everybody’s keeping score.
But what if, instead of winning the next argument, we worked to change the atmosphere?
Yesterday was All Saints Day. And in the Gospel, Jesus gave us a surprisingly practical job description for a role we all have the opportunity to fill. Let’s take a look.
The Gospel: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:1–12a, New American Bible, Revised Edition
When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”
What It Means at Work
In this teaching, Jesus obviously never mentions email threads. Or shift changes. Or that mystery person who leaves one splash of coffee in the pot with the warmer on. (Hey, it’s Yankee Candle’s new scent…“burnt joe”.)
Yet somehow, the gospel message lands right in the middle of our modern workday.
Of all the Beatitudes, this one jumps out at me:
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Notice the word makers. It’s not the peace wishers. It’s not people who quietly hope the tension disappears while hiding behind their monitors.
Peacemaking asks something of us.
Peace and doing what’s right belong together.
I learned something about that during a series of late nights at the office.
Years ago, at an ad agency that shall remain nameless, my team and I spent several weeks, and what seemed like endless overtime, developing a campaign. It was solid. At 8 o’clock the night before the big client presentation, our creative director reconsidered his own brief and told us to start over. It was a tough one to take. We were tired. The work we had was strong. But we followed his direction.
We worked through the night. The next day, we presented both approaches. And, what do you know, the client liked them.
Both.
It was good news for our client. It was less exciting news for those of us who just spent another night becoming one with the office furniture.
That experience stayed with me.
Mainly because it kept happening with the same director.
But also because it inspired me.
When I became a creative director, I committed to being deliberate and decisive. To giving clear direction. And to respecting my team’s time and effort.
I couldn’t change what happened that night, but I could try not to repeat it.
That’s one version of peacemaking: deciding that frustration doesn’t have to be passed down the line.
And following All Saints’ Day—when we celebrate saints from all walks of life—I think it’s good to remember that holiness doesn’t require stained glass.
Sometimes “holiness” wears steel-toed boots or scrubs or a lanyard that hasn’t scanned properly since February.
When your coworker snaps, you can respond without snapping back.
When someone makes a mistake, you can correct it without embarrassing them.
When two teammates are at odds, you can help them hear each other out instead of recruiting an audience for the argument.
And because life is rarely clear cut, sometimes we need to remember that the person we’re irritated with may be carrying a burden we can’t see.
And that’s not just me talking.
In research covering the second quarter of 2026, SHRM reported that 27% of U.S. workers identified cost and affordability concerns as contributors to incivility they experienced or witnessed at work.
Now that doesn’t excuse disrespect. But it gives us a reason to leave room for mercy.
The Catholic Church’s Catechism describes peace as something built through justice and charity—not simply the absence of conflict.
Real peace can require an honest conversation.
A firm boundary.
Or speaking up when someone is being treated unfairly.
This week at work: Accept the Job…Be the Peacemaker.
This week, when friction finds you—and you kinda know it will—try asking yourself one question:
Will my next words make this situation better or just make me feel better for the next five seconds?
I ask myself that question because I don’t always get it right.
Some days I need to practice what I preach. Other days I need to apologize for what I practiced.
But we keep trying.
You probably won’t get a raise or a reserved parking space for being your workplace’s Chief Peace Officer.
You might, however, help a coworker finish the day with a little less weight on their shoulders.
And that’s a kind of success worth working for.
On Wednesday: Let’s Put it to Work
Ready to become your workplace’s Chief Peace Officer?
In Wednesday’s paid subscriber companion, I’ll share The Three-Sentence Peace Reset—a simple framework for handling tense conversations, addressing problems without attacking people, and finding a better way forward.
No confrontation required. No law degree necessary. Just three sentences and a little courage.
SOURCES & REFERENCES
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (n.d.). Matthew, Chapter 5. New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE). Read Scripture.
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2026, November 1). Solemnity of All Saints, Lectionary 667. Sunday Mass readings.
Mayer, K. (2026, August 27). Employees’ Financial Stress Is Fueling Workplace Incivility. SHRM. Read article.
Catholic Church. (1992). Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§2304–2305, “Safeguarding Peace.” Holy See. Read Catechism.