Being Especially Charitable in the Work Place During Lent
(Originally posted on February 25, 2016)
We continue with the "Tools of Good Works" from St. Benedict's Holy Rule to help us focus on those acts of charity that we can perform during Lent in the work place. Today we'll cover:
Wine-bibbing (a "beyond-retro" way to describe those who drink too much) and gluttony have no place in any part of your life, but even if you're occasionally tempted here, you need to know they won't do much for your career advancement when indulged in the work place. Being once a participant in out-of-town sales and marketing meetings, I would often wonder what those who publicly eat or (most especially) drink to excess with business colleagues were thinking. Bad enough to so indulge on your personal time; but you should know that your career will swiftly hit a dead end if you get drunk one time too many in front of your colleagues. And may I suggest once is one time too many.
Somnolence (drowsiness) and sloth (laziness) frequently come as a pair, but either one won't recommend you for that desired promotion. But even more than the obvious practical reasons to avoid the appearance of either, consider the damage to your soul caused by both. If we want to sanctify our work every day, that calls for a high level of effort and enthusiasm. To do our best and to do so for the greater glory of God requires us to expend every last drop of our energy in that pursuit. Holiness doesn't drop down on us from the sky, so to speak. We have to work at it. The work place presents us with one of our best opportunities to do so. Quality work that produces the results sought by our employer, demanded by our business, takes great persistence and endurance. Any tendency to laziness or drowsiness should be attacked vigorously. Get enough sleep. Find work that either engages your interest or makes sufficient demands such that there's no room in your day to be lazy.
Unfortunately, many work places are laced with grumblers who can find nothing good to say about either the work they do, their bosses, or, not infrequently, many of their colleagues. Walk away when you feel the rumble of a grumble. And if you're cornered, be polite for a moment or two, but remind the grumbler that you must get back to some pressing matter.
Grumbling may drag us down, but generally doesn't result in sin. Detraction, on the other hand, frequently does both. We all have a right to our good name. Any comments you might make about another that detracts from this will not infrequently result in your committing the sin of detraction. That's one important reason to avoid all gossip, especially when it consists of speaking in a manner that damages another person's reputation. And it doesn't matter if what you or someone else says is true. The best antidote here would be to remember the old saying: If you can't say something good about someone, don't say anything.
We conclude today's remarks as we have been, with this traditional exhortation from the praying of the Stations of the Cross, to remind ourselves we live and work now in the holy season of Lent:
We continue with the "Tools of Good Works" from St. Benedict's Holy Rule to help us focus on those acts of charity that we can perform during Lent in the work place. Today we'll cover:
- Not to be proud.
- Not a wine-bibber.
- Not a glutton.
- Not somnolent.
- Not slothful.
- Not a grumbler.
- Not a detractor.
Wine-bibbing (a "beyond-retro" way to describe those who drink too much) and gluttony have no place in any part of your life, but even if you're occasionally tempted here, you need to know they won't do much for your career advancement when indulged in the work place. Being once a participant in out-of-town sales and marketing meetings, I would often wonder what those who publicly eat or (most especially) drink to excess with business colleagues were thinking. Bad enough to so indulge on your personal time; but you should know that your career will swiftly hit a dead end if you get drunk one time too many in front of your colleagues. And may I suggest once is one time too many.
Somnolence (drowsiness) and sloth (laziness) frequently come as a pair, but either one won't recommend you for that desired promotion. But even more than the obvious practical reasons to avoid the appearance of either, consider the damage to your soul caused by both. If we want to sanctify our work every day, that calls for a high level of effort and enthusiasm. To do our best and to do so for the greater glory of God requires us to expend every last drop of our energy in that pursuit. Holiness doesn't drop down on us from the sky, so to speak. We have to work at it. The work place presents us with one of our best opportunities to do so. Quality work that produces the results sought by our employer, demanded by our business, takes great persistence and endurance. Any tendency to laziness or drowsiness should be attacked vigorously. Get enough sleep. Find work that either engages your interest or makes sufficient demands such that there's no room in your day to be lazy.
Unfortunately, many work places are laced with grumblers who can find nothing good to say about either the work they do, their bosses, or, not infrequently, many of their colleagues. Walk away when you feel the rumble of a grumble. And if you're cornered, be polite for a moment or two, but remind the grumbler that you must get back to some pressing matter.
Grumbling may drag us down, but generally doesn't result in sin. Detraction, on the other hand, frequently does both. We all have a right to our good name. Any comments you might make about another that detracts from this will not infrequently result in your committing the sin of detraction. That's one important reason to avoid all gossip, especially when it consists of speaking in a manner that damages another person's reputation. And it doesn't matter if what you or someone else says is true. The best antidote here would be to remember the old saying: If you can't say something good about someone, don't say anything.
We conclude today's remarks as we have been, with this traditional exhortation from the praying of the Stations of the Cross, to remind ourselves we live and work now in the holy season of Lent:
We adore Thee O Christ and we bless Thee,
Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou Hast Redeemed the world.
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