Struggling With Our Work, Struggling With Our Vices

Well, last time it was about sense of humor; now it's about struggle and vices. But isn't that the way of the world? Emotions up and down. Stuff happens - some good some bad. One day our mind and body fires on all cylinders; another day the Brother Ass (our bodies) won't budge or a bit of fog descends on our brains.

At work, we deal with any and all vicissitudes as they come. No day guarantees success or a good feeling. When those pop up, we thank God. When the flip side shows its face, well, we thank God still, maybe even more vigorously. After all, we know He sends us various difficulties, pain, and temptations in order for us to rely more and more on Him, in order for us to grow closer to Him.

So as in all of our life, our workplace becomes a kind of sanctuary where we meet Our Lord. When things aren't going our way, we struggle, of course. But that's such a basic and important component of our life - struggle, that is. 

Besides the bumps, mistakes, misfortunes, and other assorted ills that visit us on our "off" days, there are also our vices that can wreak havoc on day's labor that began with the intention of doing all for the glory of God. Our fallen human nature carries with it some select vices, of course. These vary with each of us. Just as we all have varying skills, strengths and weaknesses in our daily efforts to earn a living, so too our virtues and vices vary.

Here we focus on vices, and our struggle with them. We will do that with the help of Fr. Martial Lekeux, O.F.M. We've come across his spiritual guidance in the past. Now he returns.

    “No vice is so tenacious as to resist the persevering efforts of a good will. But effort and perseverance are necessary. A fault is not uprooted in a week, nor in a month. Moreover, there’s no rush. You have your whole life for that. You were too hasty in saying that you would never succeed. Do you want to know why you haven’t succeeded? Because you haven’t tried. ‘But I did!’ you object. ‘Over and over again. To me it seems the more I try the worse I get. I watch myself all day long. I slave. I struggle against my faults. At night I think I have made some improvement. But when I wake up the next morning, I feel that they have grown again during the night and that I will have to start all over again. Or, it might be something like this. For a month I plod along. I advance slightly. Temptation comes, I slip back, and there they are, those cursed faults, stronger than ever. There’s the proof. Why go on?’ Little man of even less faith, listen to this parable.

A simple, direct outline of dealing with our vices. Wishing them away won't do it. Only persistent struggle will fit the bill. And if we've committed to that struggle, we'd be wise if we expected frustration to accompany us along the way. Perhaps even wiser if we stopped thinking that with enough effort that vice will eventually stop hounding us.

To cap off today's thoughts, here's a story we've seen before. But it's such a favorite, and is a good example to explicate our current theme, it bears repeating. 

    “A man was looking for a servant who would be a good and trustworthy worker. Such people are hard to find these days. An applicant arrived. ‘My friend,’ said the master, ‘your job is to clean up this cluttered yard.’ He worked hard and completed the task. While he slept, his employer had the debris brought back, and added a few extra pieces. Imagine the servant’s surprise when, come morning, he saw the yard. ‘Well, that’s a good one. I worked all day yesterday cleaning that yard, and now it has to be done all over again. What’s going on?’ He went and complained to the master, who said simply: ‘Do it again.’ He did, but he grumbled and was less ambitious than the day before. Yet, by nightfall he had once again cleared away a good part of the yard. That night, the same trick. When he saw this the second time, he cursed and threatened to quit. ‘Good, my lad, you may leave.’ Another applied for the job. He was given the same work, and on the first morning, faced the same sabotage. His reaction was just the opposite. He lit his pipe and started working, singing to himself. Next morning, when the same thing happened, he said: ‘I had a square meal. This is the boss’ business.’ So again he lit up his pipe and began working. The same smile, the same good humor, the same work continued throughout the week – doing over what was undone during the night. The master called him and said: ‘You have done well. I’ll hire you as my servant. I’ll increase your wages.’ He was a wise employer.”

Oh, and one last thought: You might imagine that our efforts, our struggle will not only help us with our vices, but will build up our "struggle muscles" - which will, of course lend a helping hand as we face those more mundane difficulties that daily work often presents.

Thank you Fr. Lekeux!