Advent: Focusing on the Cardinal Virtues at Work - Part 5
(Re-post from 2016)
Continuing with this year's special Advent theme, we move on to the last of the Four Cardinal Virtues. We've previously discussed the importance of the Cardinal Virtues as well as how they apply to our work. Building on our previous posts, we now move to the virtue of Fortitude.
Fortitude is a bit more complex than the other three. It's not just "courage." To help us grasp the complexity of this virtue, we'll quote (again from the Catholic Encyclopedia) a passage that discusses this virtue. A Catholic man, when he practices the virtue of fortitude, performs an exercise
"...in moral courage against the evil spirit of the times, against improper fashions, against human respect, against the common tendency to seek at least the comfortable, if not the voluptuous. We need courage also to be patient under poverty or privation, and to make laudable struggle to rise in the social scale. It requires fortitude to mount above the dead level of average Christianity into the region of magnanimity, and if opportunity allow it, of magnificence (ed: the doing of something great), which are the allied virtues of fortitude, while another is perseverance, which tolerates no occasional remissness, still less occasional bouts of dissipation to relieve the strain of high-toned morality and religion."
You could write a book about what this paragraph expresses, so you may want to re-read it carefully. Its rich meaning exhorts us to practice the sort of real courage we need in this world. We'll restrict our ensuing discussion to an application of its meaning to our work, beginning with "moral courage against the evil spirit of the times, against improper fashions, against human respect, against the common tendency to seek at least the comfortable, if not the voluptuous."
First of all, let's remember our work isn't something separated from the rest of our lives. As a member of the Church Militant, ready to do battle with the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, you need to put on your knight's armor each morning. Begin the day's work with prayer, the intention to work for the greater glory of God. Develop the habit of quick mental aspirations throughout the day ("All for Thee Jesus", "Father, help me", etc.). These help us to resist "the evil spirit of the times."
Be determined to carry yourself as a Catholic gentleman in the workplace. Some simple habits help here: No bad or vulgar language (cursing, sexually-charged references, etc.); speak in a respectful tone to all with whom you work. Avoid any gossip (even listening to it), or (God forbid) the sin of detraction. (Read more about this HERE and HERE.). Dress well, appropriate to your business. And if those who dress inappropriately cross your path (specifically women, especially of the younger variety), avert your eyes, or at least don't focus on or dwell on them. Improper fashions have no place in your work place, or in your life.
Regarding human respect, be charitable to others, but don't concern yourself so much with how they think of you or even how they treat you. Yes, you want to present yourself well to your boss, colleagues, etc. But you don't need to curry favor. Let your work, and your good work habits establish your reputation. And if some person or persons does speak ill of you, be aware of it, but pay it no mind. People gossip (not you, of course!); people may be jealous; or you just may rub someone the wrong way. Unless you're the subject of detraction, which may require a response (see links above), don't concern yourself with people's personal opinions, likes and dislikes. Be yourself, stand on your own two feet, and let the chips fall where they may. If you're still not clear on the meaning, extent, or the danger of human respect in our society, Fr. Frederick Faber defined it and gave these examples of its insinuation into our lives over a century ago:
Mortifications (denying ourselves legitimate pleasures from time to time), throughout the day, help fortify us against "the common tendency to seek at least the comfortable, if not the voluptuous." A simple habit of saying grace before meals (e.g., lunch) and waiting a couple of minutes before digging in builds spiritual muscle. In the metro area in which I spend some of my work time, recent years have seen almost a "cult" of lunch. Not that it's a sin to want some tasty tidbits from time to time, but people not only spend too much time planning and deciding on lunch, but frequently spend more money than they can really afford on it.
We'll continue our discussion of fortitude next time.
Continuing with this year's special Advent theme, we move on to the last of the Four Cardinal Virtues. We've previously discussed the importance of the Cardinal Virtues as well as how they apply to our work. Building on our previous posts, we now move to the virtue of Fortitude.
Fortitude is a bit more complex than the other three. It's not just "courage." To help us grasp the complexity of this virtue, we'll quote (again from the Catholic Encyclopedia) a passage that discusses this virtue. A Catholic man, when he practices the virtue of fortitude, performs an exercise
"...in moral courage against the evil spirit of the times, against improper fashions, against human respect, against the common tendency to seek at least the comfortable, if not the voluptuous. We need courage also to be patient under poverty or privation, and to make laudable struggle to rise in the social scale. It requires fortitude to mount above the dead level of average Christianity into the region of magnanimity, and if opportunity allow it, of magnificence (ed: the doing of something great), which are the allied virtues of fortitude, while another is perseverance, which tolerates no occasional remissness, still less occasional bouts of dissipation to relieve the strain of high-toned morality and religion."
You could write a book about what this paragraph expresses, so you may want to re-read it carefully. Its rich meaning exhorts us to practice the sort of real courage we need in this world. We'll restrict our ensuing discussion to an application of its meaning to our work, beginning with "moral courage against the evil spirit of the times, against improper fashions, against human respect, against the common tendency to seek at least the comfortable, if not the voluptuous."
First of all, let's remember our work isn't something separated from the rest of our lives. As a member of the Church Militant, ready to do battle with the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, you need to put on your knight's armor each morning. Begin the day's work with prayer, the intention to work for the greater glory of God. Develop the habit of quick mental aspirations throughout the day ("All for Thee Jesus", "Father, help me", etc.). These help us to resist "the evil spirit of the times."
Be determined to carry yourself as a Catholic gentleman in the workplace. Some simple habits help here: No bad or vulgar language (cursing, sexually-charged references, etc.); speak in a respectful tone to all with whom you work. Avoid any gossip (even listening to it), or (God forbid) the sin of detraction. (Read more about this HERE and HERE.). Dress well, appropriate to your business. And if those who dress inappropriately cross your path (specifically women, especially of the younger variety), avert your eyes, or at least don't focus on or dwell on them. Improper fashions have no place in your work place, or in your life.
Regarding human respect, be charitable to others, but don't concern yourself so much with how they think of you or even how they treat you. Yes, you want to present yourself well to your boss, colleagues, etc. But you don't need to curry favor. Let your work, and your good work habits establish your reputation. And if some person or persons does speak ill of you, be aware of it, but pay it no mind. People gossip (not you, of course!); people may be jealous; or you just may rub someone the wrong way. Unless you're the subject of detraction, which may require a response (see links above), don't concern yourself with people's personal opinions, likes and dislikes. Be yourself, stand on your own two feet, and let the chips fall where they may. If you're still not clear on the meaning, extent, or the danger of human respect in our society, Fr. Frederick Faber defined it and gave these examples of its insinuation into our lives over a century ago:
“...a general wish to please, a laying ourselves out in particular subject matters in order to please, building castles in the air and imagining heroic acts, reflecting on the praise bestowed upon us, and giving way to low spirits when dispraised, these are all manifestations of this horrible human respect.”Indeed, our Blessed Lord urged us in His Sermon on the Mount to disdain human respect:
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.(Read more on this HERE.)
Mortifications (denying ourselves legitimate pleasures from time to time), throughout the day, help fortify us against "the common tendency to seek at least the comfortable, if not the voluptuous." A simple habit of saying grace before meals (e.g., lunch) and waiting a couple of minutes before digging in builds spiritual muscle. In the metro area in which I spend some of my work time, recent years have seen almost a "cult" of lunch. Not that it's a sin to want some tasty tidbits from time to time, but people not only spend too much time planning and deciding on lunch, but frequently spend more money than they can really afford on it.
We'll continue our discussion of fortitude next time.
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