Our attitude toward our work should
not be conditioned
mainly, much less, solely, by the fact we like a particular kind of
work or that we have the proper aptitude toward it, the relevant
qualities and skills for it. While these factors count, they should
not be made as the main principle. Such attitude can only confine us
to our own interest.
What should guide is what God and the others want and need
from us, and how they want to be served. This attitude should
determine the kind of work we do and the way we do it, and would bring
us to confront the objective needs of the common good.
To be conditioned mainly by personal motives, in the end,
only shows selfishness, pride and even vanity, with their usual
cohorts like greed, envy, etc. It restricts us to a subjective tack to
our professional life.
Whatever service we give to others becomes a function of
one’s own interest, not the common good. It may give us some perks,
but to be sure, everything will end up badly especially insofar as our
eternal status is concerned.
When our attitude toward work is a function of what God
and others need from us, then we enter into the true dynamics of love
and self-giving. We would be working for God’s glory and for the
common good. We put into practice what Christ himself did: “For the
Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life
as a ransom for many.” (Mk 10,45)
With this attitude, we would be willing to be available to
anything, even in tasks that we seem not to be prepared for. We would
be willing to change jobs if necessary. We don’t get too attached to a
specific kind of work. We would become versatile and flexible, ready
to work irrespective of whether it is big or small, intellectual or
menial, etc.
If we have faith in God’s providence, we would have no
doubt as to the effectiveness of such attitude and motive. In fact, we
would be exposed to areas and things that we may not be familiar with
and yet are good for us as well as for everybody else. In the end, we
would be working with God, and not just with our own selves. Our work
becomes a means of our own sanctification.
Yes, some suffering may be involved. But that’s just fine.
We would be living out what Christ himself said: “Whoever wants to be
my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow
me.” (Mt 16,24) Such suffering would always do us good, since it will
purify us, strengthen and mature us.
We need to examine our motives for work frequently. Human
as we are, subject always to weaknesses, temptations and sin, our
motives can easily be diluted with egoism and self-seeking. It would
be good that from time to time, we pause and take stock of our
intentions for working.
We need to sharpen our skill in discerning God’s concrete
will for us in any given moment and in monitoring the changing needs
of others we are supposed to serve. Obviously, there are stable and
even permanent elements in this concern, but there definitely are
those that change and we should try our best to be prompt in adapting
to the changes.
For this, we need to have moments of prayer, reflection,
study and consultation. We have to be wary of our tendency to fall
into routine and complacency that would precisely desensitize us from
God’s will and the needs of others while giving us the sensation that
we are doing fine.
It’s always important that we develop a kind of
interdisciplinary approach in viewing things in general, even as we
give focus on our particular field of interest and expertise. In this
regard, we have to realize the need for continuing formation and
education, going through as many retraining programs as needed.
Also important is to cultivate a good sense of teamwork
and solidarity, acknowledging the proper hierarchy of things and
persons and the proper place or role one occupies in any given set-up.
Both leaders and followers, superiors and workers should
develop a good working relationship with the appropriate communication
channels in place. The leaders and superiors should carry out their
delicate responsibility of leading in earnest, while the followers and
workers should learn to be obedient and docile without undermining
their duty to also take initiatives where they are needed.
mainly, much less, solely, by the fact we like a particular kind of
work or that we have the proper aptitude toward it, the relevant
qualities and skills for it. While these factors count, they should
not be made as the main principle. Such attitude can only confine us
to our own interest.
What should guide is what God and the others want and need
from us, and how they want to be served. This attitude should
determine the kind of work we do and the way we do it, and would bring
us to confront the objective needs of the common good.
To be conditioned mainly by personal motives, in the end,
only shows selfishness, pride and even vanity, with their usual
cohorts like greed, envy, etc. It restricts us to a subjective tack to
our professional life.
Whatever service we give to others becomes a function of
one’s own interest, not the common good. It may give us some perks,
but to be sure, everything will end up badly especially insofar as our
eternal status is concerned.
When our attitude toward work is a function of what God
and others need from us, then we enter into the true dynamics of love
and self-giving. We would be working for God’s glory and for the
common good. We put into practice what Christ himself did: “For the
Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life
as a ransom for many.” (Mk 10,45)
With this attitude, we would be willing to be available to
anything, even in tasks that we seem not to be prepared for. We would
be willing to change jobs if necessary. We don’t get too attached to a
specific kind of work. We would become versatile and flexible, ready
to work irrespective of whether it is big or small, intellectual or
menial, etc.
If we have faith in God’s providence, we would have no
doubt as to the effectiveness of such attitude and motive. In fact, we
would be exposed to areas and things that we may not be familiar with
and yet are good for us as well as for everybody else. In the end, we
would be working with God, and not just with our own selves. Our work
becomes a means of our own sanctification.
Yes, some suffering may be involved. But that’s just fine.
We would be living out what Christ himself said: “Whoever wants to be
my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow
me.” (Mt 16,24) Such suffering would always do us good, since it will
purify us, strengthen and mature us.
We need to examine our motives for work frequently. Human
as we are, subject always to weaknesses, temptations and sin, our
motives can easily be diluted with egoism and self-seeking. It would
be good that from time to time, we pause and take stock of our
intentions for working.
We need to sharpen our skill in discerning God’s concrete
will for us in any given moment and in monitoring the changing needs
of others we are supposed to serve. Obviously, there are stable and
even permanent elements in this concern, but there definitely are
those that change and we should try our best to be prompt in adapting
to the changes.
For this, we need to have moments of prayer, reflection,
study and consultation. We have to be wary of our tendency to fall
into routine and complacency that would precisely desensitize us from
God’s will and the needs of others while giving us the sensation that
we are doing fine.
It’s always important that we develop a kind of
interdisciplinary approach in viewing things in general, even as we
give focus on our particular field of interest and expertise. In this
regard, we have to realize the need for continuing formation and
education, going through as many retraining programs as needed.
Also important is to cultivate a good sense of teamwork
and solidarity, acknowledging the proper hierarchy of things and
persons and the proper place or role one occupies in any given set-up.
Both leaders and followers, superiors and workers should
develop a good working relationship with the appropriate communication
channels in place. The leaders and superiors should carry out their
delicate responsibility of leading in earnest, while the followers and
workers should learn to be obedient and docile without undermining
their duty to also take initiatives where they are needed.
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