Why Prayer is Critical While We Work
I've been saying the name of Jesus and Mary during the workday - like I discussed in my last post. When I wrote that, it seemed like a "good idea." But along comes St John Chrysostom. And now it's not just a good idea. I realize it's really essential. It's a "must do."
St John Chrysostom, whose feast day was September 13th, says: It's simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life.
Let's think about this a minute. He's saying it's impossible to lead a virtuous life without the aid of prayer. He's not saying it's hard; it's impossible.
Now, if you're a Catholic and you work, you know that your workday takes up a good portion of your life. And I suspect you not only want to do a "good job" in the sense of working efficiently and getting good results, but you also want your work to reflect a virtuous life, right?
You don't want to do anything unethical to accomplish your objectives, do you? You don't want to be lazy, or cheat, or steal, right. Of course not.
So here's the thing: it's really essential, it's critical, that we pray not just before we start work, and after we're done for the day, but I think it's equally critical that we pray during the workday. Otherwise, you're kind of putting bookends on your time at work. You're closing the door to God.
Oh, I suspect you don't mean to do that. But, heck, that's how it is for me when the workday flies by and I haven't given God a thought. If I haven't thought about Him at all, I'm kind of leaving Him "out there."
What would St John Chrysostom say about that? Of course, I don't know exactly. But when I think about his saying
It's simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life.
it strikes me that I'm putting myself at a great disadvantage when I don't pray at all during the workday.
So that's why I started saying "Jesus" and "Mary" - at the very least - from time to time during the workday. These beautiful words are prayers. I'm praying when I say these Holy Names.
And praying during work means that it's not impossible for my work to be virtuous.
It's not going to guarantee that I'll always exercise virtue in all that I do. It's baseline stuff. But it gives me an even break, a good start, a way to succeed in working virtuously.
And working virtuously - in the end - is far more important that "succeeding" at my work in the way many (if not most) people in the world world look at success.
It's more important than making a lot of money, advancing up the corporate ladder, building a "world class" business, or even receiving praise from bosses, co-workers or customers for a job well done.
Work virtuously and all these things are icing on the cake.
St John Chrysostom, whose feast day was September 13th, says: It's simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life.
Let's think about this a minute. He's saying it's impossible to lead a virtuous life without the aid of prayer. He's not saying it's hard; it's impossible.
Now, if you're a Catholic and you work, you know that your workday takes up a good portion of your life. And I suspect you not only want to do a "good job" in the sense of working efficiently and getting good results, but you also want your work to reflect a virtuous life, right?
You don't want to do anything unethical to accomplish your objectives, do you? You don't want to be lazy, or cheat, or steal, right. Of course not.
So here's the thing: it's really essential, it's critical, that we pray not just before we start work, and after we're done for the day, but I think it's equally critical that we pray during the workday. Otherwise, you're kind of putting bookends on your time at work. You're closing the door to God.
Oh, I suspect you don't mean to do that. But, heck, that's how it is for me when the workday flies by and I haven't given God a thought. If I haven't thought about Him at all, I'm kind of leaving Him "out there."
What would St John Chrysostom say about that? Of course, I don't know exactly. But when I think about his saying
It's simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life.
it strikes me that I'm putting myself at a great disadvantage when I don't pray at all during the workday.
So that's why I started saying "Jesus" and "Mary" - at the very least - from time to time during the workday. These beautiful words are prayers. I'm praying when I say these Holy Names.
And praying during work means that it's not impossible for my work to be virtuous.
It's not going to guarantee that I'll always exercise virtue in all that I do. It's baseline stuff. But it gives me an even break, a good start, a way to succeed in working virtuously.
And working virtuously - in the end - is far more important that "succeeding" at my work in the way many (if not most) people in the world world look at success.
It's more important than making a lot of money, advancing up the corporate ladder, building a "world class" business, or even receiving praise from bosses, co-workers or customers for a job well done.
Work virtuously and all these things are icing on the cake.
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