Advent: Focusing on the Cardinal Virtues at Work - Part 2
(Re-post from 2016)
Continuing with our Advent theme, we begin today with a discussion of the virtue of prudence. Recall first that prudence is one of the Four Cardinal virtues:
Prudence: an intellectual habit enabling us to see in any given juncture of human affairs what is virtuous and what is not, and how to come to the one and avoid the other. Shorter definition: right reason applied to practice (definitions from the Catholic Encyclopedia).
While it can vary greatly depending on your particular line of work, most of us face choices between good and bad throughout the day. Ideally your employer or industry does not engage in activities that are outright evil. An example of the former would be the boss who pushes his sales people to produce and doesn't care how they achieve results. And example of the latter: the abortion industry.
If you're in a situation where the pressure tempts you to do that which you know to be wrong, consider the following:
A professional colleague at one institution excelled consistently, year after year. He far exceeded not only his personal goals, but his results were far, far superior to everyone else. One day he was led out of the office in handcuffs. I only got snippets of the story behind this, but suffice it to say he had apparently crossed a line many years before and whatever he was doing caught up to him. His success enriched him and his family. Indeed, the company appeared not to have pressed him too much to understand just how he was able to excel so far above everyone else, so long as his actions goosed the bottom line sufficiently. Whatever he did that caused his arrest must have been so far over the line that even his bosses who had turned away for many years had to take action. It's perhaps an extreme example, but a true one. Suffice this advice: Don't go down this road.
As for evil industries, suffice this advice: Get another job.
But even if your work doesn't encourage or demand crossing lines you shouldn't cross to promote products and services, you likely do come into contact with other people during the day. It's here where many of us need to boost our virtue and avoid being uncharitable - or worse. Ask yourself: How do I interact with customers, colleagues, bosses. Do I treat them with the respect owed to them as children of God? Am I ever tempted to envy those who appear more successful than I? Have I ever spoken of anyone in an unkind or uncharitable manner in front of others? Worse, have I ever purposely exaggerated the faults of or even lied about others to undermine their standing in order to advance my own career?
Your thoughts, words, and actions each day should be laced with virtue of prudence. During Advent, pray for the grace to do good and avoid evil, thus increasing this key virtue.
Each of the four Cardinal Virtues works with the other. Each is critically important for the health of our souls. Next time we'll look at the importance of Temperance in our daily work.
Meanwhile, pray this special Advent prayer. Pray it much throughout the day, no matter how busy you might be. Ever since I can remember, I try to say as many as there are years since Our Lord's birth. This year, that means praying this 2,016 times. Far from a mindless exercise in repetition, it forces my mind to focus on His coming. It keeps me "in the game" during this holy season.
Continuing with our Advent theme, we begin today with a discussion of the virtue of prudence. Recall first that prudence is one of the Four Cardinal virtues:
- Prudence
- Temperance
- Fortitude
- Justice
Strengthening these virtues will help prepare us for Christ's coming. They will also help be better husbands, fathers, friends, and workers. The good in us springs from the strength and depth with which these virtues permeate our souls.And as we also noted, these are the four principal virtues upon which the rest of the moral virtues turn or are hinged. The recognition of the fundamental importance of these key virtues was espoused by the ancient Greeks centuries before the founding of the Catholic Church by Our Lord. Most clearly defined by Plato and Aristotle, knowledge and understanding of these virtues passed on to the noble ancient Roman Cicero: who provides a handy summary of how we ought to apply these virtues in our own lives:
"Each man should so conduct himself that fortitude appear in labours and dangers: temperance in foregoing pleasures: prudence in the choice between good and evil: justice in giving every man his own."Today and in our next few posts, we'll expand on Cicero's exhortation and explore how the Four Cardinal Virtues might be applied in our lives, focusing on our work. First, prudence.
Prudence: an intellectual habit enabling us to see in any given juncture of human affairs what is virtuous and what is not, and how to come to the one and avoid the other. Shorter definition: right reason applied to practice (definitions from the Catholic Encyclopedia).
While it can vary greatly depending on your particular line of work, most of us face choices between good and bad throughout the day. Ideally your employer or industry does not engage in activities that are outright evil. An example of the former would be the boss who pushes his sales people to produce and doesn't care how they achieve results. And example of the latter: the abortion industry.
If you're in a situation where the pressure tempts you to do that which you know to be wrong, consider the following:
A professional colleague at one institution excelled consistently, year after year. He far exceeded not only his personal goals, but his results were far, far superior to everyone else. One day he was led out of the office in handcuffs. I only got snippets of the story behind this, but suffice it to say he had apparently crossed a line many years before and whatever he was doing caught up to him. His success enriched him and his family. Indeed, the company appeared not to have pressed him too much to understand just how he was able to excel so far above everyone else, so long as his actions goosed the bottom line sufficiently. Whatever he did that caused his arrest must have been so far over the line that even his bosses who had turned away for many years had to take action. It's perhaps an extreme example, but a true one. Suffice this advice: Don't go down this road.
As for evil industries, suffice this advice: Get another job.
But even if your work doesn't encourage or demand crossing lines you shouldn't cross to promote products and services, you likely do come into contact with other people during the day. It's here where many of us need to boost our virtue and avoid being uncharitable - or worse. Ask yourself: How do I interact with customers, colleagues, bosses. Do I treat them with the respect owed to them as children of God? Am I ever tempted to envy those who appear more successful than I? Have I ever spoken of anyone in an unkind or uncharitable manner in front of others? Worse, have I ever purposely exaggerated the faults of or even lied about others to undermine their standing in order to advance my own career?
Your thoughts, words, and actions each day should be laced with virtue of prudence. During Advent, pray for the grace to do good and avoid evil, thus increasing this key virtue.
Each of the four Cardinal Virtues works with the other. Each is critically important for the health of our souls. Next time we'll look at the importance of Temperance in our daily work.
Meanwhile, pray this special Advent prayer. Pray it much throughout the day, no matter how busy you might be. Ever since I can remember, I try to say as many as there are years since Our Lord's birth. This year, that means praying this 2,016 times. Far from a mindless exercise in repetition, it forces my mind to focus on His coming. It keeps me "in the game" during this holy season.
Diving Infant of Bethlehem, come and take birth in our hearts!
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