Catholics in the corporate jungle
As Catholics, we're called to be a "sign of contradiction." Even at work.
This can be a challenge, especially in some companies. Corporate culture varies. Some is "collegial"; some "dog eat dog."
I remember a professional colleague - a rather hard-edged, selfish, power-hungry sort - talking once about a "silver bullet with his name on it" circulating in the halls of his company. He almost reveled in the idea of "live by the sword, die by the sword."
Most of us, I hope, don't have that silver bullet hunting for us. But some of us face unfriendly fire all too frequently.
If you face unfriendly fire much of the time, try reading Psalm 17:9. The writer asks God to save us "from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me."
If you're in a corporate culture that promotes "survival of the fittest" you can feel surrounded. Maybe you should try to get out and work somewhere else. But if you can't (whatever the reason), you can find yourself tempted to become like them: "they are like a young lion eager to tear, as a young lion lurking in ambush."
Instead, be like the psalmist: "Arise, O Lord! confront them, overthrow them! Deliver my life form the wicked by thy sword." Call on God's help. Fight the good fight.
Yes, it's a war in some corporate cultures. But we Catholic men can't afford to give in to that sort of culture. We can't let ourselves sink to the level of that hard-edged, selfish, power-hungry guy. We can't let that "fight to the death" energize and motivate us each day.
Instead, we pray for the virtue of fortitude - not the means to gain "victory" over the power-hungry. Victory over evil is the Lord's business. As for us, we want to go to sleep at night, and wake up in the morning knowing that we have, as St Paul puts it, fought the good fight - with the emphasis on "good."
Psalm 17 ends with a note of hope - real trust in God: "As for me, I shall behold they face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with beholding thy form."
Even when the enemy schemes to take you down, don't become like him. Remember that God is with you.
This can be a challenge, especially in some companies. Corporate culture varies. Some is "collegial"; some "dog eat dog."
I remember a professional colleague - a rather hard-edged, selfish, power-hungry sort - talking once about a "silver bullet with his name on it" circulating in the halls of his company. He almost reveled in the idea of "live by the sword, die by the sword."
Most of us, I hope, don't have that silver bullet hunting for us. But some of us face unfriendly fire all too frequently.
If you face unfriendly fire much of the time, try reading Psalm 17:9. The writer asks God to save us "from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me."
If you're in a corporate culture that promotes "survival of the fittest" you can feel surrounded. Maybe you should try to get out and work somewhere else. But if you can't (whatever the reason), you can find yourself tempted to become like them: "they are like a young lion eager to tear, as a young lion lurking in ambush."
Instead, be like the psalmist: "Arise, O Lord! confront them, overthrow them! Deliver my life form the wicked by thy sword." Call on God's help. Fight the good fight.
Yes, it's a war in some corporate cultures. But we Catholic men can't afford to give in to that sort of culture. We can't let ourselves sink to the level of that hard-edged, selfish, power-hungry guy. We can't let that "fight to the death" energize and motivate us each day.
Instead, we pray for the virtue of fortitude - not the means to gain "victory" over the power-hungry. Victory over evil is the Lord's business. As for us, we want to go to sleep at night, and wake up in the morning knowing that we have, as St Paul puts it, fought the good fight - with the emphasis on "good."
Psalm 17 ends with a note of hope - real trust in God: "As for me, I shall behold they face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with beholding thy form."
Even when the enemy schemes to take you down, don't become like him. Remember that God is with you.
Comments