St. Peter Teaches What Should Occupy Our Time and Attention

Leaving Labor Day in the dust, we face September full steam ahead, by looking to St. Peter to help us know what should occupy our time and attention. But first a little September recap.

It's a month that holds this unique place: the end of summer, the beginning of fall. More so for us Catholic men at work, the beginning of the laps of our work year - and that means a time to see to is that our plan for the year is really on track. 

If we work for a company, it's likely our bosses will be focuscing more intently on year-end results. And if there's a need for extra oomph, we worker bees will surely be feeling it. Even if things are on track to meet company goals, there's likely a more intense effort to be sure things don't slack off.

So the lighter atmosphere of summer  - a traditional time when we all take some vacation - now turns to a more driven atmosphere.

While many schools begin their semesters in August these days, traditionally, September is back-to-school. Ah yes, we of a certain age remember it well. Labor Day was our last whiff of "freedom." The first day of school was upon us!

But before we get wrapped up in the approaching year-end push for results in our work, let's take a moment to recall what we Catholic men must not lose sight of even as our days get busier and more intense. After all, we know that we can and must turn our work from a merely practical function of earning money and/or advancing our career ambitions into a spiritual endeavor. 

If we take this seriously, we have put our soul's shoulder to the plow of developing spiritual practices that help us to intentionally offer all our work for the greater glory of God. And if we have been able to habitually do this, we can and should move on to keeping God present in our daily labor in some fashion, even if simply be the occasional raising up our eyes to Him in short simple aspirations. Maybe we even have been able to carve out some slices of a busy day for singular attention to Him in prayer of brief meditation. 

But that's not always possible, nor is it always desirable. So we have begun each day with the pure intention of diligently performing our duties with exactness and fervor, for His greater glory. With this we can sanctify our ordinary everyday tasks. 

Now let's defer to St. Peter. He will teach us Catholic men at work what should really occupy our time and attention. He left us his thoughts on the matter in his Second Letter.

This is the man to whom Our Lord gave the Keys of the Kingdom. He entrusted to Peter the leadership of His Church, and did this despite Pete's imperfections - the most egregious, of course, his denial of Our Lord three times.

Just as Jesus looked to Peter to lead His sheep, so too we can now look to him as we go about our daily work.

As all things of his divine power which appertain to life and godliness, are given us, through the knowledge of him who hath called us by his own proper glory and virtue. 4 By whom he hath given us most great and precious promises: that by these you may be made partakers of the divine nature: flying the corruption of that concupiscence which is in the world. 5 And you, employing all care, minister in your faith, virtue; and in virtue, knowledge;

6 And in knowledge, abstinence; and in abstinence, patience; and in patience, godliness; 7 And in godliness, love of brotherhood; and in love of brotherhood, charity. 8 For if these things be with you and abound, they will make you to be neither empty nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he that hath not these things with him, is blind, and groping, having forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore, brethren, labour the more, that by good works you may make sure your calling and election. For doing these things, you shall not sin at any time. (2 Peter 1)

Our work can - no should - be part and parcel of our spiritual life. As such, it will be part of those "good works" at which we must labor. to secure our "calling and election." This never takes away from the practical necessity to earn a living. But it tells us we must not make our spiritual life a side show when it comes to our daily work.

Through the intercession of St, Peter, may this never happen!