The Penitential Season of Advent at Work
It's Advent. Since Advent is a penitential season, it behooves us to incorporate a spirit of penance into our work day. Now, to be sure, most of what I've read about Advent makes the point that, while a penitential season, it's not like Lent. So relax. We're not going to suggest you apply the more rigorous standards of Lent to Advent. But, still...
Penance and mortification should play a role in your daily regimen on the job. We've talked many times about little mortifications we can apply to the work day on any given day, for many reasons. Simple examples of mortifications: abstain from sugar or cream in your coffee; delay eating for a minute or two after you say grace at lunchtime; go out of your way to be charitable towards an especially irritating colleague - you remember the drill. Now that we're in a penitential season, let's open up our treasure chest of mortifications and get down to business.
This go-round, we'll get some help from Fr John Bartunek, LC, ThD. I found his informative and wise words in a document published by the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in the city and diocese of Grand Rapids, MI. (The document, by the way, was published as a plan for this parish community to make reparation for the horrendous actions of some Bishops, priests, and religious that have come to light in recent months.) Father Bartunek provides general guidance by discussing the difference between penance and mortification - something we can now use to bolster our spiritual discipline during this Holy Season of Advent. We'll see how the difference between mortification and penance lies in our intention. It's not that one act (giving up cream in your coffee) is a mortification rather than an act of penance. But let's just dive into Father Bartunek's explanation and get the whole story.
PENANCE, REPARATION, AND MORTIFICATION
The distinction between mortification (synonymous in most spiritual writers with self-denial, abnegation, self-renunciation, dying to self) and penance (synonymous with penitence, sacrifice or self-sacrifice, and “reparation”) has to do with the interior motive behind the action. In other words, the exterior action (fasting, for example, or taking a cold shower on a cold morning) can be exactly the same, but depending on the reason why I am doing the action (my intention), the spiritual nature of the act can be either mortification or penance.
Let's pause here and recollect ourselves for a moment. Think about how you might "sprinkle" your work day with special acts of mortification/penance. Remember that we're looking to ramp things up during Advent specifically because it's a penitential season.
What we're looking for here is a kind of outline or plan. What specific things will you concentrate on? It doesn't have to be something "negative" like a cold shower. (Although there's nothing wrong with those!) They can be "positive" things too. For a grumpy sort of person, just being cheerful can be a pretty serious mortification. (Believe me, I know.) You're not denying yourself any pleasure here. But you've got to suck up your natural tendency and display a brighter, lighter side of yourself. (Dig deep and you'll find it.) The effect will be positive on the receiving party, even if it's a bit a strain on your end.
The plan should include some idea of how or when you'll apply your list of items. I do a lot of solitary work, so planning on being more cheerful to others where I typically wouldn't entails anticipating when I'm going to interact with other human beings. Here and now there's this tense email chain with those attorneys. Maybe I forego the temptation to counter their latest bit of nonsense and focus on a solution that could lead to a positive outcome for all involved parties.
I remember when I used to have to attend a particular weekly sales/marketing meeting in a previous job. One of the regulars had a kind of "blow hard" style that masked his lack of production. His extensive remarks about what, frankly, amounted to much ado about nothing, always wasted a lot of time. I found it annoying having to listen to these - over and over again, week after week. But since our boss put up with it, and I had no choice but to listen, perhaps I could have just accepted the unpleasantness and offered it up instead of rolling my eyes. I might have even gone out of my way to be pleasant to the chap. He really was a decent guy, setting aside his job performance or lack thereof.
In any case, think about your own list of items and how and when you'll apply them. Prepare your penance just as you'd prepare for the rest of your work day.
Next time we'll dig deeper into mortification and penance: more ideas on what we can do, how we can apply our acts, and how we can even make the same act one of both mortification and penance. Meanwhile, we recall, as we noted last week, that it's that time of year when things that have been on the back-burner can become year-end fire drills. While this presents a challenge to your Advent devotions, it doesn't have to de-rail them. In fact, those acts of mortification and penance will help re-focus your attention on the coming of Christ - which is the great theme of the Advent Season. Seize the moment and embrace them.
We conclude with the aspiration Catholics have traditionally prayed during Advent.
Penance and mortification should play a role in your daily regimen on the job. We've talked many times about little mortifications we can apply to the work day on any given day, for many reasons. Simple examples of mortifications: abstain from sugar or cream in your coffee; delay eating for a minute or two after you say grace at lunchtime; go out of your way to be charitable towards an especially irritating colleague - you remember the drill. Now that we're in a penitential season, let's open up our treasure chest of mortifications and get down to business.
This go-round, we'll get some help from Fr John Bartunek, LC, ThD. I found his informative and wise words in a document published by the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in the city and diocese of Grand Rapids, MI. (The document, by the way, was published as a plan for this parish community to make reparation for the horrendous actions of some Bishops, priests, and religious that have come to light in recent months.) Father Bartunek provides general guidance by discussing the difference between penance and mortification - something we can now use to bolster our spiritual discipline during this Holy Season of Advent. We'll see how the difference between mortification and penance lies in our intention. It's not that one act (giving up cream in your coffee) is a mortification rather than an act of penance. But let's just dive into Father Bartunek's explanation and get the whole story.
PENANCE, REPARATION, AND MORTIFICATION
The distinction between mortification (synonymous in most spiritual writers with self-denial, abnegation, self-renunciation, dying to self) and penance (synonymous with penitence, sacrifice or self-sacrifice, and “reparation”) has to do with the interior motive behind the action. In other words, the exterior action (fasting, for example, or taking a cold shower on a cold morning) can be exactly the same, but depending on the reason why I am doing the action (my intention), the spiritual nature of the act can be either mortification or penance.
Let's pause here and recollect ourselves for a moment. Think about how you might "sprinkle" your work day with special acts of mortification/penance. Remember that we're looking to ramp things up during Advent specifically because it's a penitential season.
What we're looking for here is a kind of outline or plan. What specific things will you concentrate on? It doesn't have to be something "negative" like a cold shower. (Although there's nothing wrong with those!) They can be "positive" things too. For a grumpy sort of person, just being cheerful can be a pretty serious mortification. (Believe me, I know.) You're not denying yourself any pleasure here. But you've got to suck up your natural tendency and display a brighter, lighter side of yourself. (Dig deep and you'll find it.) The effect will be positive on the receiving party, even if it's a bit a strain on your end.
The plan should include some idea of how or when you'll apply your list of items. I do a lot of solitary work, so planning on being more cheerful to others where I typically wouldn't entails anticipating when I'm going to interact with other human beings. Here and now there's this tense email chain with those attorneys. Maybe I forego the temptation to counter their latest bit of nonsense and focus on a solution that could lead to a positive outcome for all involved parties.
I remember when I used to have to attend a particular weekly sales/marketing meeting in a previous job. One of the regulars had a kind of "blow hard" style that masked his lack of production. His extensive remarks about what, frankly, amounted to much ado about nothing, always wasted a lot of time. I found it annoying having to listen to these - over and over again, week after week. But since our boss put up with it, and I had no choice but to listen, perhaps I could have just accepted the unpleasantness and offered it up instead of rolling my eyes. I might have even gone out of my way to be pleasant to the chap. He really was a decent guy, setting aside his job performance or lack thereof.
In any case, think about your own list of items and how and when you'll apply them. Prepare your penance just as you'd prepare for the rest of your work day.
Next time we'll dig deeper into mortification and penance: more ideas on what we can do, how we can apply our acts, and how we can even make the same act one of both mortification and penance. Meanwhile, we recall, as we noted last week, that it's that time of year when things that have been on the back-burner can become year-end fire drills. While this presents a challenge to your Advent devotions, it doesn't have to de-rail them. In fact, those acts of mortification and penance will help re-focus your attention on the coming of Christ - which is the great theme of the Advent Season. Seize the moment and embrace them.
We conclude with the aspiration Catholics have traditionally prayed during Advent.
Divine Infant of Bethlehem, come and take birth in our hearts!
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