These First Days of Advent at Work
(This was originally posted on 12/3/13.)
Advent began this past Sunday. There's a freshness that comes with this holy Season. It's the beginning of the new Liturgical Year. And the Liturgical Year starts out by focusing our attention on the coming of Christ, who made all things new.
As I get down to work today, I'm reminded of this freshness, this newness and so I will tackle my work in that spirit. The work hasn't really changed since last week or the week before that, but Advent shakes me up and pulls me out of any ruts into which I may have slipped over time. Advent sets me aright again. I look at my work with eyes wide open, remembering that Our Lord is coming and my heart ought to be prepared. The best way I can prepare my heart this day at work will be to perform all my tasks perfectly, or as perfectly as I can. I'm working for the greater glory of God: working perfectly according to His Will.
In any one I meet, I will see Him, and treat them as such. In all the tasks to which I must attend this day, I will eschew any tendency to be self-centered or any temptation to produce mediocre work. Instead, I will put my best effort into each and every task. I pray through Our Lady that Our Lord will provide me with the grace to remember that my work takes up a good portion of my days, some days most of my time and energy, and so it's critical that my work serve my primary purpose in this life: to know, love and serve God.
And so I begin anew at the beginning of this new Liturgical Year.
Of course, this burst of initial enthusiasm, spurred on by a joyous anticipation of Christmas coming soon, may not last more than these first days of Advent. It's only natural that initial bursts of enthusiasm flag after a bit. And so I pray for the grace of perseverance, or put another way, persistence. In these words written by Fr. Albert Shannon, I find instruction and inspiration:
Lord, grant me the grace to persevere in my efforts this day and every day. I know I will need this actual grace as my initial enthusiasm flags after a time.
Advent began this past Sunday. There's a freshness that comes with this holy Season. It's the beginning of the new Liturgical Year. And the Liturgical Year starts out by focusing our attention on the coming of Christ, who made all things new.
As I get down to work today, I'm reminded of this freshness, this newness and so I will tackle my work in that spirit. The work hasn't really changed since last week or the week before that, but Advent shakes me up and pulls me out of any ruts into which I may have slipped over time. Advent sets me aright again. I look at my work with eyes wide open, remembering that Our Lord is coming and my heart ought to be prepared. The best way I can prepare my heart this day at work will be to perform all my tasks perfectly, or as perfectly as I can. I'm working for the greater glory of God: working perfectly according to His Will.
In any one I meet, I will see Him, and treat them as such. In all the tasks to which I must attend this day, I will eschew any tendency to be self-centered or any temptation to produce mediocre work. Instead, I will put my best effort into each and every task. I pray through Our Lady that Our Lord will provide me with the grace to remember that my work takes up a good portion of my days, some days most of my time and energy, and so it's critical that my work serve my primary purpose in this life: to know, love and serve God.
And so I begin anew at the beginning of this new Liturgical Year.
Of course, this burst of initial enthusiasm, spurred on by a joyous anticipation of Christmas coming soon, may not last more than these first days of Advent. It's only natural that initial bursts of enthusiasm flag after a bit. And so I pray for the grace of perseverance, or put another way, persistence. In these words written by Fr. Albert Shannon, I find instruction and inspiration:
"The saint is a sinner who keeps trying - trying to love God with all the powers of his mind and heart and soul and strength. Sanctity, you see is nothing more than a wholehearted love of God that has the added note of perseverance (the word sanctity means 'to fix unalterable'). Often we call places holy because of a deep irrevocable attachment which such a person or place has to God. When love of God is wholehearted and steadfast, then that love too is holy. 'There are only two words in the vocabulary of love,' wrote Bishop Sheen, 'you and always. You because love is exclusive; always because love is eternal.' St Thomas said the same thing about love that is holy. 'Sanctity,' he wrote 'seems to imply two things: purity and firmness.' For him, purity meant exclusiveness - the undivided heart; and firmness meant steadfastness - the unchanging heart."I have already laid out my plan for the year these past few weeks (see previous posts), and so I know what is most important for me to accomplish this day, where to concentrate my time and best efforts.
Lord, grant me the grace to persevere in my efforts this day and every day. I know I will need this actual grace as my initial enthusiasm flags after a time.
Divine Infant of Bethlehem
come and take birth in my heart.
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