Witnessing to love

+  RWS 544 April 28, 2013

5^th Sunday of Easter

Gospel: John 13:31-33;34-35

35 It is by your love for one another,

that everyone will recognize you as my disciples.

More love than goods

By Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD

Loving one another is very challenging for everyone and everywhere, especially and particularly in the workplace. Workers in the manufacturing industry— where things, machines and objects are what human workers relate to most of their working hours—tend to develop an impersonal attitude which makes loving others difficult. The technician who is familiar with the precise and efficient performance of his gadgets, tools and equipment would not easily tolerate failures and mistakes of his co-workers or others he deals with.  He tends to become like a robot, incapable of loving others and understanding his own weaknesses in other activities.

Those who work in the service industries, who would spend time and energies catering to people’s needs, may not necessarily love the people they serve. Most of these workers admit they are simply doing their jobs, for which they expect to be properly compensated. They mostly work for themselves who have a host of needs and wants to be filled, not for the satisfaction of having loved or cared for another person, much less of having fulfilled a command of Jesus. Yet, the challenge of loving one another in the workplace and elsewhere is not impossible to meet; Jesus did it and His disciples do it too.

At work the urgency of becoming true disciples of Jesus is more than ever felt. While production of goods and services is what the world is looking for, everyone’s effort at work to be a person with the heart of Jesus is what the world needs. When we start to think always of the good of others rather than our very own, we behave like Christ, making the workplace a better place to live in.

The measure of fidelity

By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

            Today’s gospel brings to mind the workplace where material compensation is not the most important thing for a worker: the “vineyard of the Lord.”  This includes parish and diocesan offices, Church-run facilities like schools, orphanages, welfare agencies, and all other organizations that do ministries in the name—and supposedly for the love—of God.  Such workplaces may or may not be that demanding when it comes to academic attainment of their ordinary workers but all their workers are certainly expected to witness to the reality and truth of the religion they profess.

            People will tend to more readily forgive boorish, incompetent, or discourteous employees elsewhere than those who work in the Lord’s vineyard.  Somehow people expect these “vineyard workers” to be more patient, joyful, kind—possessing all the “fruits of the Holy Spirit.”  Generally, the more highly placed the worker is, the more exposed to interaction with clients, the more demanding the people become about his or her behavior and manners.  In fact, people are not so impressed by titles or academic degrees of these workers as they are by the Christ-likeness of their behavior.  Of what use are the PhDs tailing a nun’s name—or the STD, STL, and more PhDs added to a priest’s name—if they conduct themselves like coldhearted career people?  It will be easier to see the Christ in the nun who cheerfully scrubs the kitchen floor or the priest who lovingly listens to the confession of the almost senile elderly wards than in the “servant leaders up there” who feel entitled to the adoration that people reserve for God.

            After all is said and done, it is still Jesus’ way of love that measures our fidelity to the Lord.

Hear my voice

+  RWS 543 April 21, 2013

4^th Sunday of Easter

Gospel: John 10:27-30

27 My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.

Jesus, the paymaster

By Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD

For most workers compensation for work is very important. Those who pay or prepare the salaries then are looked up to by the workers. Generally, the more pay one gets, the greater is his regard for the paymaster.  Some workers, though, would consider their work as never properly compensated by the employer, thus their appreciation for those paying them need not be very dear. How else can a worker expect a much greater compensation for his work and how can he get it? The answer to this question is linked to the faith of the workers in things spiritual and not just those which he can count or touch, taste or acquire.

The worker who believes in Jesus, listens to His words, and above all follows His way of life—can trust in the Lord’s promise of eternal life. The worker needs to learn how to listen to the voice of Jesus in the presence and orders of his superiors in the workplace. He needs to convince himself that complying with the demands of his job to the best of his abilities is also a way of following the voice of Jesus, his Master, even if his earthly bosses may not value this faith perspective in work. He would feel greater satisfaction if he consciously feels that his work and its fruits benefit others. His efforts at maintaining good relationships with co-workers and perhaps his attempts at making them realize also the spiritual component of the daily work, are veritable acts of making God alive in the workplace—thus, making Jesus “felt” or “seen” and His “voice” listened to by others who would be challenged to also follow Him. These are but few instances when the worker can really go beyond the “call of duty”—the legal and financial demands of his job.

Jesus, on His part, assures the worker that He knows every little act of adherence, love and obedience accorded Him. What is most consoling above all is that Jesus never fails in paying back a faithful worker with eternal life and happiness.

MP3

By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

Focus is very important in the workplace.  To be as productive as we can, we need all our senses to be alert to what’s going on around us—the demands of customers, the needs of coworkers, the telephones ringing, instructions from clients, and the voice of the boss.  This is one of the main reasons most workplaces do not allow employees to use portable music devices while at work.  Claims that music helps people concentrate on their work have over and over again been disproven by studies in occupational psychology which reveal that listening to MP3 players on the job actually makes people “tune out” of the workplace.  Whether they know it or not, these listeners’ attention gets divided, rendering them less effective and productive.  Thus, many workplaces ban these devices and require workers to deposit their cell phones with Security, allowing access to them only during lunch breaks.

Let’s listen to three bosses:  Boss #1 who “allows” MP3 for his employees says “You can stick those stupid things in your ears but you’d better hear me when I whisper to you or you’re fired.”  Boss #2 totally bans the MP3 because “It makes them deaf and when you give them instructions they are glassy eyed because their mind is in another world.”  Boss #3 adds, “It can even make a person miss alarms or warning signals, so no way will I allow it.”

Because our employment feeds us and our families, we observe the workplace rules, believing they are for our own good, and keep our ears open to the voice of the boss.  We do the same where it concerns feeding our soul for eternal life—to listen to the voice of the Shepherd we remove all distractions, including worries about work.  But the MP3 is allowed—why not?—IF it would calm us down and dispose ourselves to be open to His Word.

Breakfasts

+  RWS 542 April 14, 2013

3^rd Sunday of Easter

Gospel: John 21:1-14

12 Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast."

Tenderness

By Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD

The scene where the Risen Jesus prepared breakfast for His tired Apostles who worked the whole night fishing shows a touching picture of tenderness. This sweet and satisfying aspect of human relationship seems to be a rare sight in the world today where there is much hatred, selfishness, conflict and war and where the lifestyle of “rugged individualism” would seem to annihilate any trace of loving tenderness among humans. At home and at work, tenderness needs to be cultivated and demonstrated by everyone.

Workers in the service industries like in the hotel and restaurant business, tourism, hospitals and others could have the chance to show great tenderness in their attitude and behavior towards the people they serve. Some indeed are so sweet in serving their clients and customers that a great sense of satisfaction is felt by everyone. However, this kind of goodness and kindness in serving others could be motivated by financial or material gains. Workers in these businesses would be trained to be courteous and appealing to customers at all times even when they are not disposed inwardly to be tender, perhaps due to some emotional disturbances beyond their control. So, there are times when a seemingly forced act of tenderness would be artificially shown, and customers could sense its lack of genuine character.

A good training in human relationships for workers would be a great help to develop and promote their sense of goodness and tenderness. Rewards and incentives for workers excelling in acts of tenderness towards customers could reinforce this good trait. But, I think, a deeper and a more spiritual experience is necessary for a worker to become an authentic tender and kind person. He needs to encounter and experience the Risen Jesus who wills to transform anyone who believes in Him into the loving and tender Person that He is. The worker then should try to see the Lord first of all in himself and also in every person he serves and works for. How would you feel when you work as if you are having breakfast with the Risen Lord?

Breakfast before breakfast

By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

In the rush to get to work on time, so many people skip breakfast, not realizing that it is the most important meal of the day.  Doctors have been presenting evidence proving that a good and hearty breakfast is what the body needs for one to be alert and productive the whole day, and yet there are those who would rather just gulp down a cup of instant cereal or instant chocolate drink as breakfast, believing the vitamins claimed to be in those products give enough energy to start off the day. Worse, there are those who swear that a cup of coffee is all they need to jumpstart their working day—“Just something hot for the tummy and to wake up my sleepy nerves.”   And there are also those who give up breakfast altogether in the misguided notion that doing so would save their time or keep their weight down.

If they only knew (or believed) that skipping breakfast could actually lead to obesity, diabetes or even heart attack, they’d surely rise earlier to enjoy a huge slice of papaya followed by home made tapsilog, or the healthier plate of boiled rice, sinapaw na talbos ng kamote (steamed sweet potato tops) and daing at kamatis (dried fish and tomatoes).  The only problem is: are we motivated enough to want to have a healthy body through a healthy breakfast?

This is where we need The Breakfast before the breakfast—it can be taken right upon waking up, in response to Jesus’ invitation to “Come, have breakfast”.  While still savoring a moment in bed, try mentally joining the disciples on the beach, about to eat bread and fish that the Lord Himself has freshly broiled.  Yummy!!!  Listening to the Master while sharing His meal?  Wow!  That sets the perfect tone for the next 24 hours.  Faithfully done, it can clarify our mind, enabling us to listen to our body and treat it with the respect it deserves.  If ours is a healthy mind in a healthy body, what employer wouldn’t want us on board?

Peace in the workplace

+  RWS 541 April 7, 2013

2nd Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday)

Gospel: John 20: 19-31

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

Peace of Christ

By Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD

The threat of war is always disturbing the world, humanity, and even the individual person himself. Such threat may also come in the form of personal conflicts and quarrels at home or in the workplace. We always need to deal with this disturbance at almost every turn of our lives. Thus, the peace that the Risen Lord offered to his Apostles and to everyone is the assurance that one can live in joy and harmony with himself and with others. The peace that Jesus gives is different from the peace that people in the world could offer. The latter would promise peace when there is a balance of power among persons or parties involved, that is, when everyone has equal number of weapons or anything that would destroy others. Jesus's peace is one that is in the heart, and a heart totally in harmony with God's will. It is a peace that is also powerful, which could liberate the person from all kinds of destruction. It is something which could satisfy the person completely.

The worker needs to experience the peace of Christ. It is not enough for the worker to maintain a peaceful co-existence with his co-workers, avoiding situations which would make life and work difficult for everyone. Troubles and conflicts would be inevitable at work; so everyone should be able to deal with them satisfactorily. The most appropriate way to arrive at a satisfying peace is for everyone to imitate Christ. Almost every situation a worker finds himself at work has a similar situation which Christ went through. The worker would do well to ask himself, "How would Christ decide/do with this situation at hand?"  Then, the worker's effort in reflecting on the answer to that question, guided by his faith in Jesus and His teachings, will show him the appropriate course of action to take. Such process will certainly give the worker and the others a meaningful and fulfilling time.

The Risen Lord makes sure that His peace, love and mercy is always available to anyone who trustfully implores it from Him.

Peace in Christ

By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

            Who of these would find the most peace while at work: the construction worker who operates a jackhammer all day, a deaf janitor at a shopping mall, a domestic helper in a convent, a disc jockey, or a librarian in a university?  Or maybe it would be this “cremator” I once interviewed—yes, the guy whose job is to burn the corpses, at the San Lazaro Crematorium.  Asked if he found peace in his work, he said, “Ay, oho!  Papano ba naman akong hindi magiging peaceful dito eh puro patay ang kaharap ko?” (Of course, yes!   How can I not be peaceful here when I’m always with the dead?)

            It is hard to say what kind of work can give us the most peace because peace is such a subjective thing.  Often, people interchange peace and silence, when in fact there is a big difference between the two.  Briefly speaking, silence is the absence of noise, while peace is the presence of calm.  That is why we cannot simplistically conclude that a silent work environment would automatically give the worker peace.  A jackhammer operator could find perfect peace doing his work from 9 to 5 daily, while another person could go crazy polishing floors and mowing grass in a convent the whole day.

            The peace that Christ gives is independent of the sounds and noises in our midst.  Whatever work environment we have, no matter how noisy or silent it is, Christ’s peace is possible, and it is all up to us.  We only need to make one decision—to make Christ our “boss”—and everything else will fall into place.  Having him as our ultimate boss is like writing on ruled paper: we can be stylish or crude but for as long as we respect the lines we’ll be okay.  In harmony with the ethics set by the love of Christ, we cannot but find His peace in ourselves and with our co-workers.  Because peace in the heart is the heart of peace.